We were both Destined
by Hiroakki
Summary: Marik got away from his sister's grip and got closer to Akia. He smiled at her and rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his white hair. Violet eyes met her black eyes. Akia, Yugi's twin sister, can't get Marik out of her mind. Will they meet again? Will he be the same innocent boy she once met? Mainly MarikxOC with some JounouchixOC and BakuraxOC. Review if you like it! :D
1. The Millennium Scale

**First Yu-Gi-Oh! story! I wonder if Yu-Gi-Oh! still has an active fanbase... I sure hope so!**

**I just felt like writing a MarikxOC story with an OC that had a connection to the millennium items and all that.**

**I hope whoever reads this likes it :D First chapter is a little of a back story-ish so it's not REALLY super interesting YET!**

**OK so I use the Japanese names, because it's more fun this way... So it shouldn't be that hard to figure out who they are even if you don't know the Japanese names.**

**Plz Review and all that :D Enjoy!**

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Chapter 1: The Millennium Scale

"Bye, Yugi! Bye, Mommy!"

Yugi: "Take care of yourself, sis!"

Yugi gave his twin sister, Akia, a friendly hug. She was going to an expedition with their grandpa to explore some Ancient Egyptian ruins that had been found recently. Granted, she was only ten and it might not be the best place for a ten year old to be in, but Akia had always been fascinated in Ancient Egyptian culture. She would always ask her grandpa to tell her all about his expeditions and she made him promise that he'd take her with him someday. Since Yugi had received the millennium puzzle and she hadn't received anything like it, her grandpa decided that he would take her on this expedition. Why this one? Because they were able to locate something related to the millennium items there. Her grandpa thought that it would be a great idea if Akia could find a souvenir of her own there.

"I'll miss you."

Yugi: "I'll miss you too."

Sugoroku: "Well then, it's time to go Akia. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun there."

"Coming, grandpa!"

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Sugoroku: "Here we are, Akia."

"Whoa!"

In front of Akia was a giant pyramid standing majestically in the middle of the desert. A lot of people were busy setting up camps and examining the pyramid for any entrances.

Sugoroku: "Looks like it's going to take a while for us to find a way to get in there."

"Can I go look around?"

Sugoroku: "Of course. Just don't get too far."

"I won't!"

Akia ran off to look around the place. Everyone was busy so she soon found herself wandering off alone a little further away. She knew that her grandpa told her not to get too far, but she wanted to get away from all these buzzing people. Besides, her grandpa was too busy anyway.

"You shouldn't wander so far, little one."

Akia looked up and found a man with sapphire blue eyes. He was wearing what looked like a turban on his head and a long robe. He was also wearing a golden Ankh around his neck. Akia recognized it from one of the many Ancient Egyptian history books that she liked to read. Another thing she noticed were the two earrings that were also golden and were dangling from his ears.

"Who… are you?"

Shadi: "I am Shadi."

_Shadi's POV_

Why did my millennium Ankh lead me to this girl? What is so special about her? The millennium scale seems to be reacting to her as well. I wonder… What kind of monster she holds inside? Her black hair is certainly unusually long. Every human being has a certain monster. That monster can only be seen with the millennium items. In Ancient Egypt, dangerous criminals had their monsters extracted and sealed by the Pharaoh's advisers who each had a millennium item. These monsters are now what we have as duel monsters.

"Shadi, sir… Is something wrong?"

"What is your name, little one?"

"I'm Akia, sir."

I should enter her soul with my millennium Ankh to discover who this girl really is.

_Outside POV_

Shadi placed his millennium Ankh on Akia's forehead and turned it, as if unlocking a lock. Strangely enough, Akia didn't feel any fear towards this stranger. Her mother always told her not to talk to anyone she didn't know and she always followed that advice. This time, however, it felt different. It was as if she knew that she needed to talk to this man.

_Shadi's POV_

Her soul looks pretty normal for a child. There's one open door with some toys inside. That's interesting. There are more books about Ancient Egyptian history than there are toys in here. It seems that she has quite a high interest in Ancient Egypt. Something in this room doesn't feel right. There's some strange and powerful aura coming from one of the walls.

"Where are we, sir?"

The little girl comes in the room and looks at me with her black eyes. I see it's her first time seeing her own soul room.

"We are inside your soul, little one."

"My soul…?"

She starts looking around, trying to get comfortable with the idea of being in her own soul room. She then points at the wall in the far back.

"There's something odd coming from that wall over there."

Can she actually sense it too? Before I could say anything, she heads towards the wall and pulls out one of the history books sitting on a shelf fixed on the wall. When she does, the wall behind it opens up. Stairs are revealed before us, leading underground.

"How did you know about this place, little one?"

"I didn't know, but… Something was calling me."

Calling her? Could it be her monster? She starts heading down the stairs on her own.

"Don't be hasty."

She doesn't stop and keeps going. Whatever it is that is calling her wants her to get there quickly. I should follow her and make sure there are no dangers.

_Outside POV_

Akia could hear it. She could feel something reaching out to her. Something important… She continued walking in the darkness until she saw a pair of red eyes. Strangely enough, she didn't feel afraid. She approached the red eyes with confident steps.

Shadi: "Don't go too far, little one."

She heard his words, but couldn't stop herself. As she got closer to the pair of red eyes, she realized just how big they actually were. Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and she saw a giant black dragon with blood red eyes looking at her. Its head was lowered, as if it was trying to be at the same eye level as its host. Shadi just froze there, behind Akia, contemplating the majestic dragon.

Shadi: "The Red Eyes Black Dragon…"

_'To think that this girl held such great power inside of her… There's no doubt to who she is now. I know what must be done.'_

Shadi came out of Akia's soul and retracted his Ankh from her forehead. She looked at him with two innocent black eyes.

"The Red Eyes Black Dragon?"

Shadi: "Indeed, little one. Now, listen to me carefully. In your past life, you were someone very important. I can't tell you all the details. You will know once you are ready. For now, take this millennium scale. It seems to have a liking to you."

Shadi handed Akia a golden scale with the eye of Anubis carved in it. There was a feather on one of the golden plates. Akia has read about how Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, used a scale and an ostrich feather to weigh a person's soul. If the person's soul was sinful, the empty plate would weigh more than the feather. When that happened, the soul would be eaten by the demon Ammit. Akia took the scale while examining it with astonishment clear in her eyes. Never had she dreamed of holding such a beautiful object.

"It's so pretty! But… why are you giving me this?"

Shadi: "You will know in due time. Be careful with it; this item is very dangerous if in the wrong hands."

"What does it do?"

Shadi: "The millennium scale can tell if a person is lying or not. If the wielder wishes it, it can banish the souls of those who do lie or whose hearts are pure evil."

"That's dangerous… I'll make sure I never hurt anyone with it."

Shadi: "You sure are a kind one."

Shadi then suddenly jerked his head in some unknown direction, as if he sensed something there. Without saying a word, he started walking in the direction of the city.

"W… wait!"

Akia tried to call him, but he didn't stop. She then decided to go against all that her mother and grandpa told her not to do and followed the blue eyed stranger.

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**Soooo? Should I continue? I'm still debating whether or not to continue this story. Well if I get anything positive, even if it's just one review or one fav or one follow I'll post the second chapter :D At least I'll know if it's worth it to do that XD**


	2. The Young Boy

**Shorter chapter, but I hope you guys still enjoy it!**

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Chapter 2: The Young Boy

Akia kept following the strange robed man named Shadi until he reached the city. It was a little harder to follow him with all the people in the marketplace. After a few shoves and protests, she finally found the man standing still, his back facing her. When she got closer, she noticed that he was talking to two people, a girl and a boy.

When Akia reached Shadi, he turned his head in shock and looked at her.

Shadi: "Why did you follow me?"

The two people that he was talking to also looked at Akia with surprised expressions and a little fear in their eyes. Akia looked more closely at the two of them. The girl looked like she was older than Akia, but the boy seemed like he was about the same age. Akia couldn't quite understand why, but she felt as though she had met the boy before.

"Marik, we have to go back."

Marik: "But sis…"

Marik's sister seemed very worried about something. Akia obviously was completely clueless to the reason why. She just felt like she didn't want that boy to leave.

"So… your name is Marik?"

Marik got away from his sister's grip and got closer to Akia. He smiled at her and rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his white hair. His violet eyes met her black eyes.

Marik: "Yup… What's yours?"

"I'm Akia."

Akia smiled back at him and started fiddling with her feet.

"Marik, we're not supposed to talk to strangers. You know that!"

Marik's sister took his hand and dragged him away as he looked back at Akia. She started to follow them but Shadi stopped her.

Shadi: "You'll see him again."

She waved at the boy, tears filling her eyes. He waved back before both he and his sister disappeared in the crowd.

"Why… Why did he have to leave?"

Shadi: "It is not the time for you to know. Just know that you will see him again."

"How are you so sure?"

Shadi: "Because… You two have a shared past, therefore you will have a shared future."

Akia didn't quite get what he meant. All she understood was that, someday, she was going to see Marik again. She promised herself that she wouldn't let him go that easily ever again.

Shadi: "You should go back to your grandfather. He's starting to notice your absence."

"How do you know?"

Shadi: "I just do."

"Can you help me get back?"

Shadi: "Of course."

With that, she took Shadi's hand, much to his surprise, and let him lead the way.

When they got back at the ruins site, her grandfather called out to her.

Sugoroku: "Akia! Where were you all this time?"

As soon as Shadi brought her back to the camp, he disappeared. Before she could wonder how he did that, her grandpa came running at her.

"I was looking around."

Just then, her grandpa noticed the millennium scale she held in her hands.

Sugoroku: "Where did you get that?"

"A nice man gave it to me."

Akia started tracing with her finger the eye of Anubis that was carved on her scale. She felt very attached to the item. Sugoroku recognized how the item was very similar to Yugi's puzzle, even though Yugi didn't solve that one yet. At least now Akia also has her own souvenir.

Sugoroku: "I'll forgive you this time, but don't wander off again like this."

"I won't, grandpa."

Sugoroku: "Good girl. Now, it's getting late. Let's go find a hotel or something so that we can rest for the night. Tomorrow will be another long day."

When they got back to the hotel room, Akia went and lied down on her bed.

She couldn't keep her eyes off her millennium item. She wanted to try its powers, but she was too afraid of accidentally banishing someone's soul. She'll have to be extremely careful. To be safe, she decided to wait until she found a really mean person to test it on. At least then, if she made a mistake, it wouldn't be too bad to banish their souls. Who was she kidding? It would be just as bad! Akia didn't want to hurt anyone.

As she fell asleep, she started thinking about Marik. That boy… He was somehow special to her. She didn't know why. She met so many boys on a daily basis at school, but this boy was different. She couldn't wait to meet him again. She felt as though a part of her was missing without him. Marik's face as the last thing she thought of before her consciousness faded into a dreamless night.

Akia didn't see the boy again. It was the day they were supposed to go back to Japan. She was starting to lose hope of even seeing Marik again. Maybe Shadi was wrong. Maybe he just said that they'd see each other again to stop her from following him. Immediately, she regretted not doing so. Maybe if she had followed him, they would've had more time together and became friends.

Sugoroku: "Let's go, Akia. We're all packed now. I bet Yugi missed you a lot."

"I miss him a lot too."

They both headed for the airport and boarded the plane back to Japan.

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**Review and tell me what you think! :D**


	3. Jounouchi Katsuya

**Third chapter! Joey (Jounouchi), Tristan (Honda), and Tea's (Anzu) first appearance! If everyone remembers the anime well, Jounouchi has quite a strong bond with the red eyes black dragon. Anyone getting the hint? *wink* *wink***

**On with the story then!**

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Chapter 3: Jounouchi Katsuya

Yugi: "Wake up, Akia. It's time to go to school. You're going to be late, again…"

"Give me five more minutes…"

Every morning, it was the same routine. Yugi would try to wake his sister up, but he'd never succeed. In the end, Yugi would just give up and leave, so Akia would always arrive to class late and be lectured by their teacher. Akia used to be such a responsible girl… She started being indifferent to almost everything two years ago, when she turned thirteen. Now Akia was still a kind and cheerful person. She just stopped caring about certain things, which included school.

Sugoroku: "Yugi, you'll be late!"

Yugi: "Coming!"

With that, Yugi rushed downstairs, leaving Akia in her dream world.

Yugi: "Bye granpa!"

Sugoroku: "Akia is still asleep isn't she…"

Yugi: "I hope she fixes that bad habit of hers soon…"

With that said, Yugi left for school after saying goodbye to his granpa. Around half an hour later, Sugoroku heard a scream coming from Akia's room.

"WHY DIDN'T YUGI WAKE ME UP!"

Sugoroku: "He tried, trust me."

"Now I'm going to be late! Again! The darn teacher warned me that I'd get detention next time I'm late!"

Sugoroku: "Well, then it seems that you'll be late today."

Akia put on her school uniform while brushing her teeth. She then packed her school bag, without forgetting to put her millennium scale in there as well. For five years, she'd been carrying her millennium scale around everywhere with her. After she was done, she ran downstairs and grabbed a sandwich before dashing out with a quick bye directed to her granpa.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

She sprinted through the streets at a record speed and finally arrived at the school gates. Since they were closed due to it being fifteen minutes after classes started. That was the average time that Akia arrived on when it was a normal day. When it was a bad day, she'd be around an hour late.

"Well… I'll need to jump over. It's so inconvenient wearing a skirt… At least there isn't anyone around so it's that embarrassing."

Akia was a pretty athletic girl, despite being just as short as her brother, which was a trait that seemed to run in the Mutou family. She leapt over the fence with ease. She made sure her skirt was back in place and proceeded to her classroom. She ran as fast as she could and dragged open the classroom door.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Teacher: "Again…"

Some students were sighing and others were chuckling. Yugi and Anzu were one of the ones who were sighing. Anzu was actually a good friend of hers. They didn't hang out all the time, but they were on pretty good terms with each other.

"It's not my fault that classes start so early…"

Teacher: "You'll have to get used to it! Now go to your seat! Your detention will start right after classes end."

_'__Damn it! I thought he forgot about that!'_

Akia went to her seat that was located right next to Anzu's. Anzu gave her a small smile. Akia made a crying face before she sat down in her seat. Soon after the teacher picked up where he left, Akia dozed off and dreamed of the same violet eyed boy once again.

At the sound of the bell, Akia finally woke up and started stretching.

Anzu: "So how was that nap?"

"Better than the lesson."

Anzu then left to do something that Akia didn't bother figuring out. Yugi then went to sit next to his sister.

Yugi: "Akia… You know you should pay more attention in class instead of just copying my notes."

"Come on, Yugi. You know that'll never happen."

Yugi: "You're right… I can't help but try."

"Did you make any progress with your puzzle?"

Yugi took out the golden box containing the pieces of the puzzle. He shook his head.

Yugi: "Nothing yet. I won't give up though."

Jounouchi and Honda started making their way towards the group who were too focused on the millennium puzzle to see them coming.

Jounouchi: "Hey, so what are you nerds up to again? Oh? Nice box you have there."

Without any warning he took the puzzle box and lifted it high in the air so that Yugi and Akia wouldn't be able to take it away from them.

Yugi: "Hey! Please, give it back!"

Honda: "Why should we?"

Yugi was constantly bullied by these two. This always made Akia angry.

"Hey, assholes! Give that back!"

Jounouchi: "Feisty, aren't we?"

Akia stood up on one of the desks and jumped on Jounouchi's back. She then managed to grab the puzzle box and threw it to Yugi. What she didn't notice was that Jounouchi managed to steal one of the pieces of the puzzle.

Jounouchi: "Ow! Get off me!"

Akia jumped down.

"It's not like I enjoy jumping on your back."

Jounouchi: "Then don't do it!"

"Then don't pick on my brother!"

The two of them glared at each other while Honda was trying to calm Jounouchi down and Yugi tried to calm Akia down. For some reason, Jounouchi really got on Akia's nerves, but she didn't hate him. She wanted to hate him, but she just couldn't. Something within her actually liked him. She would always try to brush that feeling away. What she didn't know was that Jounouchi also felt the exact same way. He always tried to ignore that feeling.

Anzu: "What do you guys think you're doing?"

Anzu came back from whatever she was doing and started yelling at Honda and Jounouchi until they finally left Yugi and Akia alone.

Yugi: "Thanks, Anzu-chan."

Anzu: "Don't mention it."

"Man that bastard pisses me off."

Yugi: "Don't be like that. He probably has his own problems."

"Sometimes, you're way too nice for your own good, Yugi…"

Anzu: "So what were you guys doing?"

Yugi explained to her about how he'd spent all his life trying to solve the puzzle that his granpa got him back from one of his previous expeditions in Egypt. Akia wondered what would happen if Yugi finished that puzzle. Would it have weird powers like her millennium balance? Until now she never dared to use her millennium balance, so she didn't actually have any proof that it held any form of power. She just believed it did.

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**So should I continue writing? Is it interesting enough? Tell me in the reviews!**


	4. The Bully

**Introducing Tetsu Ushio from season 0! I think it'll be the only segment I'll include from season 0. After that we'll get into the duel monsters seasons.**

**Review! Pretty please? :D**

**Well alright you can read this chapter first.**

**Let's go chapter 4!**

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Chapter 4: The Bully

_'__Damn it… Yugi and everyone else left already and I'm stuck here in detention!'_

It had been already an hour since Akia started her detention session. Only half an hour to go. She was taking this opportunity finish some late homework. Despite having the indifferent reputation, she actually cared about school… to some extent.

Teacher: "Well, that's it for your detention, Akia. Don't be late tomorrow!"

"Yay! Done with this useless waste of time!"

The teacher sighed as Akia ran out of the classroom.

Back home, Akia discovered that Yugi had his door closed.

_'__That's strange. He doesn't normally close his door. Teenage crisis?'_

Akia put on an evil grin as she opened Yugi's door suddenly.

"Yugi!"

Yugi: "Aaaah!"

Yugi fell off his chair due to Akia's loud entrance.

"What are you doing?"

Akia noticed the puzzle box and puzzle pieces on Yugi's desk.

"Still trying to solve it?"

Yugi: "Yeah. And be more gentle with the door next time… You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry!"

She grinned as she left Yugi to his puzzle. She understood his obsession with the item. After all, she was also very attached to her millennium scale, even though she didn't quite understand why.

_The next day_

Yugi: "Akia! Wake up!"

"Later…"

Yugi: "Come on… You don't want another detention now…"

At the word detention, Akia bolted out of her bed.

"No! Please! Anything but that!"

Yugi: "Well now I know how to get you up."

After they both got ready, they said goodbye to their granpa and went on their way to school.

Sugoroku: "Are my eyes playing tricks on me or did Akia just leave for school early?"

_On the way to school_

"My reputation will be ruined!"

Yugi: "It wasn't such a good reputation to start with."

"I was seen as the only person who could come late everyday but still manage to somehow pass. How is that not good?"

Akia and Yugi continued their pointless talk until Akia bumped into Tetsu Ushio, the head hall monitor.

"Sorry, whoever you are… Oh. I take back that apology. Watch where you're going, Ushio-senpai!"

Ushio never really appealed to Akia. On top of his eyebrows freaking her out, he was the type of guy that abused his position of power. All in all, she really didn't like him.

Ushio: "You should watch who you're talking to, Akia."

"Yeah, I'm talking to a tall thick eyebrows power hogging freak."

Yugi: "Akia…"

Ushio: "Typical… Yugi, come with me. I have something to show you."

As Ushio dragged Yugi with him, Akia started following them. She knew that Ushio would be up to no good and she wouldn't let Yugi get involved in anything he couldn't handle.

Ushio finally stopped in front of two beaten up students. Akia and Yugi recognized Jounouchi and Honda.

Ushio: "I took care of your bullies for you. You should thank me."

Yugi: "What? I never asked you to do this!"

"Jounouchi, Honda!"

Yugi: "Are you guys alright?"

Jounouchi: "Are you satisfied now, Yugi?"

Yugi: "I never asked for this! Ushio-senpai, why did you do this to my friends?"

Ushio: "Friends? You call those guys friends? Well for all the trouble I went through, you'll have to owe me 200,000 yen."

"You have no right to do this!"

Ushio: "It's either that or you pay with your body, in Yugi's case, a beating."

"I won't let you touch my brother or those two idiots."

Ushio: "Like a scrawny girl like you can do anything… Maybe you could…"

"I already declined all your date offers, this situation won't change that."

Ushio: "Have it your way. I want that money by tomorrow, Yugi."

When Ushio walked away, Akia turned to Jounouchi. She hated seeing him in this state. Even after all the times he tormented Yugi, something made her blood boil with rage when she saw him all beaten up. At the same time, she knew that if Yugi didn't pay that freak, he'd beat all of them up.

"Jounouchi, can you get up?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah, no problem."

"Yugi… I think there's only one easy way to solve this without any violence."

Yugi: "There is?"

"I'll just go on a date with him. I mean, how bad can it be?"

Jounouchi: "No way."

"Look, it's none of your business."

Jounouchi: "It is! I'm involved in this!"

"Why do you care anyway?"

Jounouchi: "I don't know!"

Jounouchi truthfully didn't know why he cared. Akia was probably one of the most annoying people he ever met. He just couldn't accept the idea of her dating a freak like Ushio.

Yugi: "Akia, I won't let you do that either."

"Well, what else can we do?"

Before anyone could answer, the bell rang and all four of them headed for class.

Teacher: "Is the world about to end? How come you're on time, Akia?"

"Don't rub it in!"

_After classes_

Yugi looked preoccupied about the whole payment thing. Akia couldn't help but worry. She was seriously thinking of just going out with Ushio for her brother's sake.

Yugi: "Akia, you're not coming home with me?"

"Well… I have some stuff to ask the teacher about. You go on ahead, I'll be home a little later."

Yugi: "…Alright, be careful on your way back."

"I will!"

Akia hated lying to Yugi, but if she told him what she was about to do, he wouldn't have let her do it. She was going to go talk to Ushio and get him to change the deal. When Yugi left, she searched all over the school, trying to find Ushio. Without her being aware of it, Jounouchi and Honda spotted her and started following her.

Jounouchi: "Honda… Isn't it weird that Akia is not with Yugi?"

Honda: "It is, but why are we following her?"

Jounouchi: "She might be getting herself in trouble…"

Honda: "And why do you care?"

Jounouchi: "I don't know!"

Back home, Yugi was worrying about the money he was supposed to pay. He took out his puzzle box and, for some reason, he felt that he was going to be able to solve it this time. Somehow, he was able to put all the pieces together, like something was guiding him. He was almost done solving it, when he realized that there was a piece missing.

Yugi: "No way! Did I drop it at school? Right when I almost solved it!"

Yugi took his bag and put his puzzle inside. He then rushed back to school.

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**Cliffhanger! What'll happen to Akia? To Yugi?**

**Who knows!**

**Reviews make my day happier so help cheer me up and review :D**

**I can't force anyone though... I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Follow/Favorite it helps me see if my story is worth all the effort I'm putting into it!**


	5. The Millennium Puzzle

**Thanks for those who reviewed and followed and favorited!**

**This chapter is actually one of my favs so I hope you guys like it! :D**

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Chapter 5: The Millennium Puzzle

_'__There he is… He's so creepy… No! Akia! This is no time to waver! It's only one date for your brother's sake! An Jounouchi's… Why am I even thinking of that idiot at a time like this! Whatever! I don't have a choice.'_

"U… Ushio-senpai!"

Ushio turned around to find Akia waving at him with a small smile on her face.

Ushio: "You? Smiling at me? Something hit your head?"

"You don't have to phrase it like that. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Ushio: "So? What do you want?"

"The debt Yugi owes…"

Ushio: "You have the money? Or are you asking me to lift it? Because that won't happen."

"Even if I agree to go on a date with you?"

Jounouchi and Honda were watching the whole scene from afar.

Jounouchi: "That idiot! What is she thinking?"

Honda: "Well it can't be that bad, right? It's just a date…"

Jounouchi: "Of course it's bad! I won't let her do this!"

Honda was using all his strength to stop Jounouchi from acting rashly. In the meantime, the conversation between Ushio and Akia was still going.

Ushio: "A date… It would be enough to lift the debt off of your brother…"

"That's great!"

Ushio: "But…"

"What is it?"

Ushio: "The other two won't be off the hook because of one simple date."

"The other two… You mean Jounouchi and Honda?"

Ushio: "It will take more than just a date to get them out of this."

_'__That sly little… What I'd give to shave his eyebrows off and kick him off a cliff!"_

"What else do you want?"

Ushio: "I want you to be my girlfriend… permanently. As long as you're my girlfriend, I won't lay a finger on any of them. Deal?"

As much as Akia hated him, she cared about Yugi, Jounouchi and Honda's safety more. Well she didn't really care about what happened to Honda, but Jounouchi was involved in this. She couldn't stand the idea of seeing him hurt.

"…Deal."

Jounouchi: "NO DEAL!"

Honda: "Damn it, Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi was finally able to get away from Honda and ran next to Akia, facing Ushio.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Jounouchi: "I should be asking you the same thing! Why would you even consider going out with that creep?"

"Stop meddling with my business!"

Jounouchi: "This is not just your business, I'm involved in this too!"

Ushio: "I don't think it's your decision to make, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi: "Yeah? As if I'd let her date you! Over my dead body!"

Ushio: "It's your funeral."

Ushio punched Jounouchi in the face, which caused Jounouchi to lose his balance.

"Jounouchi! Ushio-senpai, you said you wouldn't touch them!"

Ushio: "Well, I only said that as long as you're my girlfriend. This is still not the case. I can beat them up as much as I want for now."

Honda: "I won't stand for this! How dare you fool that poor girl!"

"He didn't fool me, you idiot! Who are you calling a poor girl?"

Ushio: "Well, here's one for you too."

He punched Honda who then ended up in the same position as Jounouchi.

_'__This is bad… I have to do something…'_

"Ushio-senpai, please… I'll do anything, just leave them alone."

Ushio: "Anything…?"

_'__He's probably going to come up with something awful. But… What else can I do?"_

Jounouchi: "Akia! Don't be an idiot!"

"Shut up!"

Ushio: "Well if you do what I'm going to ask of you, I promise that I'll leave them alone… You won't even have to be my girlfriend after that."

"Seriously…?"

Ushio: "That is… if you do what I want you to do."

"What is it? I'll do it."

Ushio: "Take off your clothes."

There was a long moment of silence. Akia was horrified. She didn't know what to do. This was beyond disgusting. She couldn't do that… But then, there was Yugi… and Jounouchi… and even Honda. Akia started shaking. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to come out. She answered with a shaking voice.

"…Fine."

Jounouchi: "You sick bastard! Don't do it Akia!"

Akia stopped listening to Jounouchi. She knew that, if she did, she wouldn't be able to go through with this.

Ushio: "Well then, what are you waiting for?"

With trembling hands, she started taking off her bow. Her head was hanging low. She couldn't face anyone in her current situation. She was too ashamed of what she was about to do. Just as she was removing her bow, a hand stopped her. She looked up and saw Jounouchi looking at her with an angry face.

Jounouchi: "I told you not to do it."

"Jounouchi…"

She couldn't hold in her tears anymore. They streamed down her cheeks.

Ushio: "Who told you to stop? You're not off the hook just because of a few tears."

Jounouchi turned to face Ushio and was welcomed with a kick to the stomach.

"Jounouchi!"

He was on the floor again, coughing.

Yugi, who saw the whole thing, came rushing in front of his sister. He was on his way to find the missing puzzle piece when he heard Akia screaming Jounouchi's name.

Yugi: "Stop this! I won't let you hurt my friends anymore!"

"Yugi, get out of here!"

Ushio: "Everyone just keeps interrupting."

He then proceeded to beat Yugi up.

"Yugi! Ushio, stop it!"

Akia tried to hold him back, but he was way too strong for her. He shoved her on the floor.

Jounouchi: "Yugi! Akia!"

Yugi's puzzle box fell out his bag and opened to reveal an almost complete puzzle. The only piece missing was the one that Jounouchi stole. Jounouchi, realizing how much Yugi cared, gave the last puzzle piece back to Yugi, who was all beaten up.

When Yugi got it back, he immediately completed the puzzle. Akia, Jounouchi and Honda fell into a coma and came back later, to find a crazy looking Ushio who was playing with dead leaves, thinking it was money.

Little did they know that it was the work of the spirit inside the millennium puzzle who challenged Ushio to a Yami no Game (Shadow Game), which resulted in Ushio's loss who then suffered psychological problems because of it. Even Yugi himself barely understood what happened.

* * *

**I know it ended really abruptly... It was kind of a conclusion to like a part of the story I guess. Ok I have no excuse for ending it so weirdly...**

**FORGIVE MEEE!**

**Well that ends the season 0 arc. Duel Monsters are coming in either the next chapter or the one after!**


	6. The Transfer Student

Chapter 6: The Transfer Student

The next day, Yugi successfully got Akia to wake up in time for school using detention as a threat. On their way to school, she didn't stop complaining about how tired she was.

"This is way too early… You know Yugi, you don't have to use detention to wake me up… It gives my poor brain such a shock that it can't help but waking me up…"

Yugi: "At least it gets you to school on time."

"So you decided to wear your upside-down pyramid around your neck?"

Yugi: "Yeah. I don't know why, but I feel like I need to bring it with me everywhere."

"I know that feeling… It seems like your puzzle has the same eye of Anubis that my scale has. Do you think they're both somehow related?"

Yugi: "It's possible. Since I've completed the puzzle, it feels like there's a weird presence about it. I'm pretty sure it's not just some normal object."

Jounouchi who was also on his way to school, ran up to Yugi and gave him a friendly headlock.

Jounouchi: "Hey there Yugi! Akia? You're early again? I thought the first time was a fluke!"

"Remind me why we're friends now…"

Yugi: "Come on, Akia… Be more accepting."

"Just don't get too much on my nerves."

Jounouchi: "Come on, Akia! We're friends now. Thanks for everything, by the way… to both of you."

"…No problem."

Despite not really showing it, Akia was actually pretty happy being friends with Jounouchi… and Honda. They all started hanging out after the incident of Tetsu Ushio. That didn't stop Akia and Jounouchi's constant bickering though. However, now it was more friendly bickering than bitter one.

In class, Akia headed for her desk and decided to take a nap until she felt like it.

Jounouchi: "Don't tell me you plan on sleeping through the class…"

"Maybe I am."

Jounouchi: "Then what was the point of coming early?"

"I can escape detention that way."

Anzu: "Hey, Yugi! Hey, Akia-chan! Jounouchi-kun? What are you doing here?"

"Long story short, we're apparently friends now. Honda is also part of this, but I don't really know where he is right now."

Honda: "Guys!"

Honda came in the classroom and ran up to the group.

"Well I guess that's where he is."

Honda: "Guess what!"

Jounouchi: "You succeeded in becoming the school janitor?"

"Nice one."

Honda: "Jounouchi! I'm the beautification office and head of the clean-up committee, not the school janitor! I am here to keep this school beautiful and clean for…"

"Get to the point."

Honda: "Fine… I overheard that there's a new transfer student coming to our class today."

"A transfer student? That's rare."

Anzu: "We should make him feel comfortable."

Yugi: "Maybe we could become friends with him."

"I say we make him go through some type of hazing."

Jounouchi: "Haha! I'm in!"

Jounouchi and Akia gave each other a high five.

Anzu: "You guys…"

Yugi: "Akia, sometimes I just can't figure you out."

Anzu: "Ah! The teacher is here."

At Anzu's statement, they all went back to their seats, anticipating the mysterious new transfer student.

Teacher: "I think many of you heard, but we have a new transfer student coming to our class today. You may come in."

A white haired boy with big brown eyes made his way in. He looked pretty shy. Akia was suddenly interested in who that boy was.

_'__Damn it! I'll feel way too bad to make that guy go through any type of hazing! He's way too adorable looking. I just want to ruffle up that white fluffy hair of his. Sorry, Jounouchi… Maybe we'll do it to the next transfer student.'_

Teacher: "You may introduce yourself to the class."

"M… My name is Bakura Ryo. Nice to meet you."

Teacher: "I trust that you will make him feel welcome. Now, there's an empty seat right next to Akia over there. Akia, can you put your hand up to show him where you are."

Akia held her hand up while smiling.

_'__Yes! I get the cutie pie to sit next to me!'_

After Bakura made his way to his desk, Akia held out her hand. He shook it while she introduced herself.

"Hi there! I'm Akia. Nice to meet you. I hope we become good friends!"

Bakura: "Nice to meet you too."

Bakura smiled at her sweetly and during the whole class, Akia couldn't help herself from observing him the whole time. There was something off about him, but something very attractive at the same time.

Teacher: "Well that concludes our class everyone."

Jounouchi and Akia: "Finally!"

Jounouchi got up and dragged Akia away from the transfer student to begin planning the hazing.

Jounouchi: "So did you think of anything?"

"I'm having second thoughts…"

Jounouchi: "What? Come on!"

"But isn't he just the most adorable thing ever? I can't do anything cruel to him when I look at these big sparkly brown eyes of his…"

Jounouchi: "Fine… I guess he's off the hook because you fell for him."

"I didn't fall for him!"

Jounouchi: "Well it sure sounds like it."

"Whatever, let's just go talk to the guy."

It upset Akia that Jounouchi thought she was in love with someone. Even though she didn't want to admit it, she was actually starting to like Jounouchi a little more each day. At the same time, there was Marik, the little boy she met in Egypt. She was starting to give up on the idea of ever seeing him again. It was a about time to just forget about him. What were the odds of them ever meeting again anyway?

Akia dragged Jounouchi by the wrist to go talk to Bakura. It was lunch time and he was eating with Anzu, Yugi, and Honda who had already started talking to him. Akia went and sat next to the new student.

"So I see you've managed to talk to everyone. Well let me introduce you to Jounouchi."

Jounouchi: "'Sup."

Bakura: "Nice to meet you, Jounouchi-kun. Yugi-kun was telling me about how Akia-chan is actually his twin sister. That explains why you two are both so friendly."

Yugi: "Wait… Akia was friendly with you? I thought you wanted to put him through a hazing."

"Yugi!"

Bakura: "A… A hazing?"

Jounouchi: "Well we both were planning it but she chickened out."

"I didn't chicken out!"

Jounouchi: "You fell for his 'big sparkly brown eyes'."

Jounouchi started chuckling at Akia's shocked expression.

"Jounouchi! I'll get you for that!"

She jumped on his back and held him in a chokehold.

Jounouchi: "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Yugi: "Akia… Calm down."

Akia let go of Jounouchi and sat down next to Bakura.

Bakura: "My big sparkly brown eyes?"

"Oh don't you start too!"

* * *

**Midterms are approaching! Meaning less time to write...**

**I'm still going to update on time even if it kills me! XD**

**Thanks for everyone that has been reading until now, I really really really appreciate it!**

**Just don't forget to review for Bakura's big sparkly brown eyes! :D**


	7. The Millennium Ring

**I just love how Bakura is so cute and how it contrasts so much with the spirit inside his millennium ring!**

**Enjoy!~**

* * *

Chapter 7: The Millennium Ring

"Hey, Bakura, will you be alright catching up with the school work?"

Bakura: "It'll be a little hard…"

Anzu: "Why don't you help him out, Akia?"

While saying this, Anzu winked at Akia. Akia fully understood what her friend was trying to do. She knew that Anzu misunderstood that she liked Bakura, when, in fact, she was actually more interested in Jounouchi. Now, Anzu was trying to hook them up together.

Bakura: "That would be really nice of you, Akia. But… I don't want to trouble you."

Jounouchi: "Oh please! You're asking Akia to help? I think you've got the wrong person. She's probably the laziest student in school."

Anzu: "Shut up, Jounouchi-kun!"

Yugi: "I think helping Bakura will help you get more into school work, Akia. It's worth a shot."

"…Fine, I'll help you."

Bakura: "Thank you so much!"

"You're free now? We can get some stuff done since school's over for today."

Anzu: "Well, we'll leave you guys to your studying! See you tomorrow!"

Anzu dragged Jounouchi and Yugi along, leaving Akia and Bakura alone in the classroom.

"It looks like everyone else is gone. They'll be closing the school off soon, we should go somewhere else. Where do you want to study?"

Bakura: "I don't know. Is there a library nearby?"

"The closest one is like an hour away. I would bring you over to my place, but we probably won't have any peace over there with Yugi and my granpa."

Bakura: "If you don't mind, you can come over to my place."

"Your parents won't mind?"

Bakura: "They won't. Besides, they're not home."

_'__Wait… I'm going to be alone… in a guy's house? On top of that, I just met that guy today? He seems innocent enough… Besides, if it's an extreme emergency, I have my millennium scale with me.'_

Akia knew she still wouldn't use it. It was simply an excuse to make herself feel safer.

Bakura: "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, though. If you don't want to come over, I totally understand."

He didn't seem like the type of guy who would try anything funny with her.

"It's alright, I'll come over. You need to know where we're at in the school stuff anyway."

A faint blush appeared on Bakura's cheeks as he smiled sweetly.

_At Bakura's House_

"That's a pretty nice place you got there."

It was a very simple modern style house. It had two floors with just the essential rooms. Akia followed Bakura to his room. It was just as simple as the rest of the house. Akia scanned the room quickly with her eyes. It was the first time for her to be in a guy's room, other than her brother's. She noticed how neat Bakura was. His room was more organized than hers. Then again, she wasn't the type of person who really cared about how neat her room was. There were also many books in Bakura's room, just like hers. She looked more closely at the books and she was surprised to find that many of them were about Ancient Egyptian history.

"You're interested in Ancient Egyptian history?"

Bakura: "You could say that… My father went to Egypt a few years ago and brought me back a souvenir so I wanted to know more about it."

"You know, I actually have a lot of Egyptian history books back at my place. You should come visit, maybe you'll find some interesting stuff."

Bakura: "You're also interested in it?"

"Yeah, since I was a little kid… I even went on one of my granpa's expeditions to Egypt and found myself my own souvenir."

Bakura sat down on the floor and motioned for Akia to sit next to him. She went to sit next to him and brought her backpack full of her school books so that they could start studying.

Bakura: "Your bag looks really packed."

"Yeah. Well, let's start by getting the books out of there."

Truth was, her bag was packed because of her millennium scale that took up most of the space. For some reason, she didn't want to show it to Bakura just yet. She tried to take out her books without showing too much of what's inside her bag. Bakura, however, had already been able to get a glimpse of the item. He didn't know what it was exactly, but he recognized it had the same material as Yugi's puzzle and his own millennium ring. The millennium ring that his father had brought him back from Egypt. The ring hosted an evil spirit that would take over Bakura's body without him knowing it. The only thing he'd notice is the random gaps in his memory and how suddenly it'd be night, as if he'd been in a coma for the whole day. He had a feeling it was related to the ring, but he didn't know how.

Bakura: "Akia… In your bag…"

_'__Oh crap! He saw it! Wait… why is that bad? Maybe I'm just being paranoid…'_

"Oh… this?"

Akia took out her millennium scale to show it to Bakura. The feather somehow always stayed on its plate, never falling off.

Bakura: "I actually have something similar."

"You do?"

Bakura took out his millennium ring from under his school vest. It was attached around his neck.

"So… There are actually more of those items than the ones Yugi and I have…" _'And Shadi's…'_

Bakura: "I might sound crazy to you, but it feels as though there's another presence inside this ring…"

_'__Just like what Yugi told me… Is every one of those items like that? If so, why don't I feel any different presence in mine? All I feel about my item is something similar to a dark aura, but nothing like another presence.'_

Bakura's millennium ring suddenly started glowing.

"What is happening?"

Bakura: "Akia! This is dangerous! You have to get out of here!"

Even though Bakura didn't know what it was that was happening, he had a feeling that whatever was inside the millennium ring reacted to Akia's millennium scale. He also had a feeling that it whatever it wanted with the millennium scale wasn't going to be anything good. Akia would be in deep trouble if she stayed anywhere near him. Akia was feeling very confused, but she also felt some sort of danger. Just as she was getting up, a hand caught her ankle, making her fall flat on her face. She turned around and found Bakura's hand holding her ankle. He looked different, darker.

"What are you? Bakura's evil twin?"

Bakura: "Smart little girl. You figured out that it wasn't sweet little Bakura anymore. However, I'm not related to that weakling."

"What do you want from me?"

Bakura pinned her wrists to the ground with his hands and give her an evil-looking grin. Now that Akia had a better look at him, His hair was more spiked up than before. His eyes were definitely not sparkly anymore. He started lowering his face until she could feel his breath on her lips.

Bakura: "What I want? It's simple. First, your millennium scale. Second, an explanation to why I feel like I've met you before."

"Well you won't get either of them. How would I know why you get the impression that you've met me before?"

Akia noticed that she was still holding her millennium scale. She did tell herself that she would use it as a last resort if anything happened. This was definitely the case here. She just needed to bring it close to Bakura's heart.

Bakura: "It's not like I'm giving you much of a choice. I'm taking the millennium scale."

"Get off!"

Akia succeeded in kneeing him in the stomach which caused Bakura's hands to let go of her wrists. She took that chance to bring her millennium scale to his heart. It was the first time she used it, so she didn't know what to expect. The empty plate started moving. It was as if something extremely heavy was put on it, because it went plummeting down.

Bakura: "You…"

That was the last thing Bakura said before he blacked out. Akia started to panic.

_'__Wait. Is Bakura going to be okay? Did I just do something stupid? Oh please, be okay!'_

"Bakura… Bakura… Please wake up…"

Slowly, Bakura started to open his eyes. Those were definitely the big sparkly brown eyes that Akia found extremely adorable. He slowly sat up just to be pinned back down by Akia's hug.

"You're alive!"

Bakura: "A… Akia! W-W-What happened?"

Bakura was as red as a tomato. He did not expect a hug right after opening his eyes from a coma. He then heard sniffling. He realized that Akia was crying. He wrapped his arms around her and patted her back.

Bakura: "D… Don't cry. I'm fine, don't worry…"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to use my millennium scale on you, but I didn't know what else to do!"

Bakura: "It's okay. We're both alright, that's what counts."

Akia finally let go and tried to dry off her tears. Bakura also dried off a few of her tears with his finger. He didn't like seeing her cry.

"Bakura… There's some weird other person inside your ring. He's… dangerous."

Bakura: "I figured as much… I'm really sorry you had to go through this."

"I'm okay... I don't think we'll be able to get any work done today, though."

Bakura: "It is getting late…"

"I can help you out tomorrow if you want."

Bakura: "I want to, but… What if he attacks you again?"

"Well I know now how to handle it. Besides, I doubt he will try the same thing again."

Bakura: "Alright. Can I walk you home? It's a little dark outside."

"Sure, I'd like the company."

* * *

**And there we have it! Akia has now three guys on her hands! What'll happen?**

**Review and tell me what you think! Reviews encourage me to write more! :D**


	8. Duel Monsters

**This story hasn't been getting much views lately... Oh well, I guess I'll just write for those few people that care about reading it :D**

**Thanks a lot, without you guys, I'd probably just stop writing, because the Yu-Gi-Oh! original series fandom is slowly disappearing apparently.**

**Anyway! Enjoy!~**

* * *

Chapter 8: Duel Monsters

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow at school! Thanks again for walking me home, Bakura."

Bakura: "No problem, sorry again about what happened…"

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're fine."

_Bakura's POV_

I watched Akia as she went inside her house. Why did the spirit of the millennium ring attack her? Was it because of the millennium scale? I didn't want to put her in any danger… I should make sure that we're never alone together again. I'd hate to see her hurt. I wanted to get to know her better, to get closer to her, but I knew that it would only harm her.

_Yami Bakura's POV_

That girl… I knew that she wasn't just some random girl. I felt strange around her. As if I'd already met her before… long ago. She thought she could get rid of me by banishing my soul, but I am far too powerful. I had already a fragment of myself inside the millennium ring so my soul will never die as long as the ring is intact. She was something else though… Nobody had ever dared threaten me before, but she did. She also defied me. It will be fun to mess with her a little more. She was rather entertaining.

_Outside POV_

Akia went to the living room to find her granpa and Yugi unpacking some sort of cards.

"What's that? A new game?"

Sugoroku: "Oh, Akia! You're back."

Yugi: "How was your studying session with Bakura? Did you actually get any studying done?"

"What are you trying to say? Anyway, what are these cards?"

Akia got closer and took one of them.

"Kuriboh?"

Yugi: "It's called Duel Monsters. This game has been around for a while overseas, but it's only recently that it came here to Japan."

"Interesting… How do you play?"

Yugi: "Well, basically two players face each other with the deck they created. Then, the one who succeeds in bringing his opponent's life points to zero, wins."

"Sounds interesting. How do you construct your own deck? Any tips?"

Yugi: "You want to make one?"

"Maybe…"

Yugi: "Another distraction from schoolwork, right?"

"Hey, I'm actually interested in this!"

Yugi: "Hm… Well, if you want, I'll tell you a few tips. I'm still beginning myself, though."

"Well, you've been always really good at games, so you'll probably master this in no time."

Yugi: "Yeah, I've been good at all games against everyone except you…"

"So will you tell me how to make a deck or not?"

Yugi: "I will… So first thing you have to know about duel monsters is that there are three main types of cards: Monsters, Spells, and Traps."

Yugi explained most of the rules to Akia, and, as always, she quickly grasped them. After going over them once more, she finally opened a few packs and tried to make her own deck.

"Well now… I should balance the Monsters, Spells, and Traps… Like this… This card looks good… Hey gramps, do you have any awesome rare cards?"

Sugoroku: "Well, I have this."

Granpa took out a Monster card called the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"It has 3000 attack and 2500 defense? Can I have it in my deck? Please, granpa!"

Sugoroku: "No way, this was a gift from a very dear friend of mine, a few years ago. You have enough good cards here to make a decent deck. In the future, you'll be able to strengthen your deck, and have your own style of duelling."

"Fine… Even though the cards here aren't all that next to that dragon…"

After a while, she finally constructed a rather decent, basic deck, considering that her granpa's shop only had beginner packs at the moment.

"So Yugi, should we have a little duel? I want to see how effective this deck is."

Yugi: "Sure thing. I mean we both have about the same chances of winning this so I guess it'll be fair, unlike most other games that you somehow manage to get advantages in."

"Hehehe… Too bad, Yugi. I think I'm going to win this one too!"

_The Next Day_

On their way to school, Akia and Yugi were given a headlock from Jounouchi.

"Ow, you idiot! Let go!"

Jounouchi: "So Akki, how was your 'studying' session with Bakura? Any juicy details?"

"What are you talking about, bird brain! Nothing happened!"

It hurt Akia a little to hear Jounouchi say those kind of things about her with another guy so casually, as if he didn't care. She knew he didn't, but she always tried to not face it.

Jounouchi: "Yeah, right. You just want to keep all the good parts for yourself… Hey Yugi, did your granpa get those Duel Monster cards? I was able to get my hands on a few and made my own deck! Wana try and duel me?"

Yugi: "Yeah, granpa got them. In fact, Akia and I were able to make our own decks too. And we… played a little."

Jounouchi: "She owned you didn't she."

"You know it!"

Yugi: "Hey! It wasn't that bad! I was able to win once!"

"Out of seven games."

Jounouchi: "It's still an accomplishment considering that you somehow manage to win every single game on this planet. But you know what, I'll challenge her to a duel today and I will win! My deck is unbeatable!"

"Let's duel then."

After they all arrived at the classroom, Akia and Jounouchi sat facing each other and started duelling. After a few turns, Akia had her Horn Imp (1300/1000) in attack position and her full life points. Jounouchi on the other hand, had no monsters on the field and only 300 life points left.

"I'll just set a card face down and I'll end my turn."

Bakura made his way to where the two were duelling.

Bakura: "Is that the new Duel Monsters game?"

Anzu: "Good morning, Bakura. Yeah, those two have been playing for a few minutes now."

Bakura: "Who's wining?"

Honda: "Akia-chan, of course. I mean, do you really think Jounouchi stands any chance against her?"

Bakura: "Akia-chan is good at a lot of things, isn't she?"

Jounouchi: "Oh, stop crushing all my hopes! Anyway, it's my turn now. Draw! Aha! Finally! I summon Armored Lizard (1500/1200) in attack mode and I attack your Horn Imp!"

"Too bad, I activate my trap card: Reinforcements."

Jounouchi: "Whaa… What's that?"

"I can target one face up monster and it gains an extra 500 attack points until the end of this turn. Of course, I choose my Horn Imp."

Jounouchi: "Wait… so… how strong is it now?"

Anzu: "Now, it has 1800 attack points, so it's exactly 300 attack points stronger than your monster. That means you lose 300 life points."

Jounouchi: "But… Wait… That's all I have!"

"Exactly. I win!"

Jounouchi: "Oh come on! I want a rematch!"

"Too bad. I don't feel like it. Duel Yugi."

Jounouchi: "Fine. Come on, Yugi. Let's do this!"

Yugi: "Sure, Jounouchi."

While they're having their duel, Akia noticed the multimillionaire, Kaiba Seto, sitting a few seats away. He never really attended his classes regularly, because of the fact he was the CEO of the biggest gaming company around. He was arrogant, cold, and unpleasant. Akia didn't like him very much.

Bakura: "Hey, Akia."

"Ah, Bakura. How are you?"

Bakura: "I'm good, thanks for asking. So, you're pretty good at Duel Monsters aren't you?"

"Yeah, you could say that I've got some kind of talent when it comes to games, just like Yugi has. Except that I almost always win against him too. Hey do you play Duel Monsters too?"

Bakura: "I haven't actually thought of trying the game."

"You should; it's really fun. Tell you what, I'll help you with the rules and stuff."

Bakura: "Akia-chan… I don't think it's a good idea to be alone with me. I don't want what happened yesterday to happen again…"

"Bakura, you worry too much!"

Bakura: "Akia-chan, please, I don't want to see you hurt."

"Fine…"

Honda: "And Jounouchi loses again!"

Akia and Bakura focused their attention back to the game. Yugi completely wiped out Jounouchi, just like Akia did.

Jounouchi: "Aw, man! It's not fair! You guys have like unlimited cards at your granpa's shop!"

"Stop complaining, you just suck at the game, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi: "Why, you!"

Jounouchi got up and trapped Akia in a friendly headlock.

"Ow, ow! I told you not to do that! Let go!"

Jounouchi: "As if I'll listen to you, shorty!"

Yugi: "Hey guy, if you want, you can come over to our granpa's place with us. He has this super rare card, too. Come check it out!"

Jounouchi: "You serious, Yugi? I'm coming over!"

"Just let go of me first!"

Jounouchi: "What if I don't wana let go?"

Akia blushed a little at the remark. She didn't know how to answer, because she actually enjoyed being so close to Jounouchi, even though it was in a friendly manner.

Bakura: "Come on, guys. No need to fight."

Jounouchi: "Oh yeah, sorry Bakura! Take your girlfriend back."

Jounouchi playfully shoved Akia into Bakura's arms. Bakura felt his cheeks burning up.

Bakura: "Sh… She's not…"

Akia was too confused to even say anything at that point. She was in Jounouchi's headlock for one second, then the second after she found herself in Bakura's arms. And she didn't hate it…

Anzu: "Guys, the teacher is here."

Akia finally broke away from Bakura and went to take her seat. During the whole day until the end of classes, her mind kept thinking of Jounouchi, then Bakura… then Jounouchi again… then Bakura again… then that boy from Egypt that she'd probably never see ever again.

* * *

**Man, three hotties around Akia haha! Seriously, she's a lucky girl, don't you think?**

**And also, since the duel monsters are now in the story, I'll be describing Akia's important duels turn by turn, so if anyone doesn't like that, you can skip those parts.**

**Thanks for reading! See you next week~**


	9. Granpa's Precious Card

**I noticed that I did a stupid mistake about Akia not knowing about the Blue Eyes, when her granpa actually showed it to her in the last chapter...**

**Yes I'm that forgetful...**

**So I decided to correct this! Sorry for the mistake XD**

* * *

Chapter 9: Granpa's Precious Card

Anzu: "So, your granpa is the one who taught you the basics Yugi?"

School was finally over. Akia, Yugi, Anzu, Jounouchi, and Honda were all on their way to the game shop. Akia did invite Bakura to tag along, but he told her that the teacher offered to help him catch up with everything that he missed. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that she won't be the one helping him out with his studies anymore.

Yugi: "Yup, and I taught Akia the basics that granpa taught me."

Jounouchi: "You shouldn't have… Now she just owns everyone in this game, just like every single other game you taught her."

"It's not my fault that I'm smart."

Jounouchi: "Only game smart."

"Speak for yourself, idiot!"

Jounouchi ruffled Akia's hair, which made her bangs cover her eyes.

Jounouchi: "Hehe, now you look like a drenched puppy."

Akia sighed while trying to adjust her hair again.

Honda: "Man, you two bicker non-stop. If I didn't know better, I'd think you hated each other."

Jounouchi: "Hate Akia? Impossible. She's way too fun to mess with."

"Shut up!"

Akia looked in front of her and watched Anzu and Yugi being absorbed in some kind of conversation that apparently made them both really happy. The truth was, Akia knew about Yugi's crush on Anzu, and, she had a feeling that things could work out between the two of them. Just as she was absorbed in her thoughts, Jounouchi put an around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"W-W-What are you doing?"

Jounouchi: "What? Can't friends do that to each other? Wait… don't tell me… You're being shy?"

Jounouchi gave Akia a mocking grin as she felt her cheeks burning up.

"No, you dumbass! Why would I be?"

She turned her head away and a lot of thoughts entered her mind.

_'__Why did he do that… I mean, if he was just a random friend it wouldn't be a problem, but he's a friend that I… kind of like more than just a friend. I know he won't return these feelings, but he sure is making it hard on me to brush mine off. I guess I'll just enjoy the moment while it lasts…'_

Yugi: "Here we are, guys!"

_'__Already? I can't believe I didn't notice that sooner!'_

Jounouchi let go of Akia and went ahead with Yugi to the game shop. She felt a little disappointment as his hand retracted. They all got into the game shop and were welcomed by Sugoroku at the counter.

"Hey, granpa."

Yugi: "We're back, granpa!"

Sugoroku: "Well, well, you brought all your friends with you, too?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah, gramps. Yugi told us about this super rare card you have."

Sugoroku: "Well, let me go get it."

Granpa got a small box out from under the counter and opened it. All eyes were on the card that was placed face down in the box. Granpa then took it out and showed it to them.

Sugoroku: "Here it is, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

"3000 attack points?"

Jounouchi: "This is extreme!"

Honda: "I really don't get what's so special about it…"

"You don't play the game, so you wouldn't know."

Jounouchi: "Can I have it?"

Sugoroku: "Are you insane? There're only four of this card in the whole world! It's not even for sale!"

"How come you…"

Akia was interrupted by the door chime.

Sugoroku: "Welcome!"

They all turned around to find Kaiba at the door.

Yugi: "Kaiba-kun?"

"Rich boy?"

Honda: "What is the heir of Kaiba Corp. doing here?"

Kaiba: "I heard that Yugi and Akia's granpa is a card maniac."

Jounouchi: "Oh, so you play Duel Monsters, too? That's awesome! Let's get along!"

"I'd rather die than get along with a stuck up rich boy like him…"

Jounouchi: "What's that, Akia?"

"Nothing!"

Kaiba: "No thanks, I'll pass. You're way out of your league if you think you can get along with me."

"What'd you say, rich boy?"

He was really starting to get on Akia's nerves. Before, she didn't mind him much, but now, she straight up couldn't stand his presence.

Kaiba: "I was the winner of the Duel Monsters National Championship, after all. In other words, we're on completely different levels."

Jounouchi: "The hell? How about you shut up and play me?"

Yugi: "Stop it, Jounouchi."

"Yugi's kind of right, you won't stand a chance against him. Even though I hate to admit that…"

Kaiba smirked at how furious Jounouchi looked.

Kaiba: "Does this shop even have any decent cards?"

"If it didn't, you wouldn't be here now, would you?"

Kaiba ignored Akia's remark as he noticed the card in Granpa's box. His mocking expression turned into shock.

Kaiba: "W-What?!"

He rushed to the counter, shoving Akia aside in the process. She landed in Jounouchi's arms as he tried to keep her from falling.

"Watch it, asshole!"

Kaiba completely ignored her once again as he stared down at the legendary card.

Kaiba: "How come the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is in a dump like this?"

"A dump?!"

Akia was now beyond irritated. What she'd give to slap some sense into that jerk's brain… Granpa closed the box and put it away.

Sugoroku: "Now that's enough of that. It isn't for sale, anyway."

Kaiba scowled and then put on a more business-like expression. He took the suitcase he was holding the whole time and opened it on the counter in front of Granpa. Akia and the others looked at what was inside and were struck with awe, just like Sugoroku.

Kaiba: "Old man, if you give me the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, I'll trade all of these cards in return!"

Granpa gave a mocking laugh.

Sugoroku: "No way."

Everyone seemed surprised, since there were some pretty rare cards in there.

Kaiba: "If you're not going to trade it, I'll buy it! Name your price, anything!"

Sugoroku: "Kaiba-kun, the reason I'm not selling this card is not because it's such a strong card, but because it was a gift from a very precious friend. Therefore, I'll treasure it just as I treasure that friend. Nothing you can offer can measure up to that."

Kaiba: "What…"

Yugi: "You would feel the same even if it was a weak card, right granpa?"

Sugoroku: "That's right. This card has the same heart as that precious friend."

"Never thought I'd ever think granpa was cool…"

Kaiba closed the suitcase in frustration and left.

"Glad he's gone..."

* * *

**Well, thanks for tolerating my dumb mistakes!**

**Review! :D**


	10. New Cards And New Feelings

Chapter 10: New Cards And New Feelings

Anzu: "It's getting a little late, guys. I think we should start heading home."

The sun was already setting outside the game shop.

Yugi: "I'll walk you home, Anzu-chan."

Anzu: "Thanks, Yugi!"

Jounouchi: "Well, Honda and I will get going too. See you tomorrow, guys!"

"Bye, everyone."

After they all left the game shop, Akia and her granpa started getting ready to close the store.

"Hey, granpa? Are you hungry? I feel like going to buy something to eat at the convenience store."

Sugoroku: "Well, since you'll be going, could you get me a steamed bun? It's been a while since I ate convenience store foods, your mother always says it's not healthy…"

"I know what you mean… Well, I'll be going then."

Sugoroku: "Oh, by the way. I got these new packs of Duel Monster cards and I thought you'd be interested to take one of them."

"Great! I felt like I needed to upgrade my deck a little more. How many cards are in one pack?"

Sugoroku: "I think four. They usually contain more rare cards, that's why."

Akia went to pick a random pack.

"Thanks, granpa. I'll check them out on my way to the store."

Sugoroku: "Have fun, Akki. Don't take too long!"

_Akia's POV_

Awesome! Can't wait to check these cards out! Let's see… First card is… Banisher of the Light (100/2000) Huge defense! It looks like it has a special effect too… As long as it's face up, all cards that are supposed to go to the graveyard are removed from play instead? Well, how would that benefit me… Maybe there are cards that are stronger when there are cards that are removed from play? Well, in any case, it's going in my deck because of that huge defense. Second card, now… Different Dimension Warrior (1200/1000)… Another effect monster? When it battles with another monster, they're both removed from play after damage calculation. What is this? Removed from play edition? Well, it could get rid of strong monsters. In my deck, then! Third card is… Man-Eater Bug (450/600)… Well, that's an ugly monster. When it's flipped, it destroys a monster on the field. Could come in handy… Now, last card is a trap! I needed some! Sakuretsu Armor? This trap can destroy one attacking monster. Well, well… Pretty good power-ups for my deck! Thank you, granpa!

_Outside POV_

Akia arrived at the convenience store after checking her new cards. She bought a few steamed buns as well as some other stuff that she felt like eating.

_'__Well, I should get back before the sun sets… I wonder if Yugi's back. Having all the fun with Anzu… Hehehe, I'll totally tease him about this.'_

"Granpa, I'm back!"

Sugoroku: "Finally! I was craving those steamed buns!"

"Let's eat them here before mom finds us out…"

The game shop's door chime sounded as Yugi came in.

Yugi: "I'm back… Wait, are these convenience store steamed buns?"

"Want some?"

Yugi: "Give me some! It's been forever since we had those."

"So Yugi, did you kiss her?"

Yugi's face turned all shades of red.

Yugi: "W-W-W-What? K-K-K-Kiss? It's… It's not like… like that b-b-between me and Anzu-chan!"

"Yeah, right! You're head over heels for that girl! When are you going to man up and tell her how you feel?"

Yugi: "She doesn't feel the same way about me… Look, can we stop talking about this?"

"Fine… Sooooo did you at least hug her?"

Yugi: "Akia!"

"Sorry, sorry! I couldn't help it! Hey, guess what! I got some new cards today, want to play against my new deck?"

Yugi: "Like you needed any extra power-ups… Well, it'll be fun, I guess. Let's see what you've got."

"And that's how I won again."

Jounouchi: "Geez… I feel sorry for ya Yugi."

Yugi: "Can't help it… Those new cards are a serious power-up."

Bakura: "Good job, Akia-chan. If I wasn't so busy with all the catching up, I would've already made my own deck by now…"

"Come on, Bakura, when you're done with all that useless studying, I'll make sure that we have a proper duel."

Bakura: "Thanks, Akia-chan."

Akia slightly blushed at the smile that Bakura gave her.

Jounouchi: "I caught that, Akia! You're blushing! So adorable!"

"Shut up, Jounouchi!"

Akia smacked the back of Jounouchi's head, and tried to hide her blush, that got deeper, with her other hand. She didn't get how Jounouchi can be so insensitive sometimes… The one she really, truly liked was him. She had to admit that Bakura didn't leave her indifferent, but that was because he was extremely good-looking… and nice… and considerate… and… there was something familiar about the spirit in his ring…

Jounouchi rubbed the back of his head, moaning in pain. He then ruffled Akia's hair.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Jounouchi: "Payback for touching my beautiful head!"

"Nothing's beautiful about it…"

Akia mumbled while trying to fix her hair.

"There… Hey, Bakura, is my hair less crazy now?"

Bakura: "Wait… There's a hair sticking out…"

Bakura extended his hand and arranged the rebellious hair. He caressed it down and his hand paused on the hair on the side of Akia's face. He then stared longingly into her eyes. Akia felt herself blush uncontrollably.

"B... Bakura? Is there something on my face?"

Bakura flinched, as if he was snapping out of a dream. He retracted his hand, and scratched the back of his head, looking around in embarrassment.

Bakura: "I-I'm really sorry about that, Akia-chan… I don't know what took me…"

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Thanks… for adjusting my hair."

They were both avoiding making eye contact.

Anzu: "Akia, Bakura! The teacher's here!"

They both snapped out of their stupor and rushed to take their seats.

_'__Man, that was weird… But it felt… nice…'_

* * *

**Tell me if you guys liked this chapter!**

**Review!**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	11. Kaiba's Move

**Longest chapter I've ever written in my entire life...**

**I'm trying to go a little faster in the story to get to the part where Marik appears, but it doesn't seem to be working...**

**I'm sorry I'm updating slowly, but it's because I have the finals and final projects coming up, so I'm preparing a lot for them...**

**In any case, I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 11: Kaiba's Move

"Wait, so why are you guys coming with us today, too?"

Jounouchi: "You know you're happy that we are."

"As if…"

That day too, Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda were going to the game shop with the twins.

Yugi: "Jounouchi insisted on having Granpa teach him Duel Monsters."

Jounouchi: "Yeah, I need to learn how to build a proper deck. I mean, even Anzu beat me!"

"Well, Anzu has the basics down. You don't."

Jounouchi: "Hey! I have the basics down! I'm not just some beginner!"

"You haven't used a single trap or spell card in all the games I've seen you play…"

Anzu: "True."

Jounouchi: "Stop teasing me!"

Yugi: "We're here guys."

Yugi opened the door to the game shop, while greeting his granpa as usual, but, this time, he didn't get a reply.

"Yugi, is Granpa there?"

Akia goes in the shop and looks around.

Yugi: "Maybe he's out?"

"That's odd. He's always saying that he should never leave the shop unsupervised."

Jounouchi: "Bathroom break?"

"Could be."

Suddenly, the phone started ringing. Everyone looked in the direction from where the sound was coming from. It was the shop phone. Akia thought it was probably some unsatisfied customer who wanted to complain. Maybe it was someone who wanted to pre-order some new game. Either way, she didn't feel like replying to it.

"Go get it Yugi."

Yugi: "I knew you'd say that…"

After rushing to the phone, Yugi picked it up.

Yugi: "Hello, Game Shop."

As the conversation went on, Yugi's face grew more serious, and worried. Akia, who followed him to the phone, saw how his facial expression changed. She started to feel a little restless as well because of her brother's behaviour.

Yugi: "What do you mean? Kaiba-kun!"

"Kaiba?"

Yugi: "He hung up… He has Granpa…"

"What?"

Yugi: "We have to hurry!"

Everyone followed Yugi, without asking any more questions, considering the need to hurry to get to the old man.

_'__The hell is Kaiba thinking? Did he like kidnap Granpa? Is this all because of that damn card? Man that rich boy needs someone to knock some sense into him… He pisses me off so much…'_

When they arrived at Kaiba Corps, they rushed in and found Sugoroku lying on the ground, in visible pain.

Yugi: "Granpa!"

"What happened to you?"

They both rushed to his side.

Sugoroku: "Yugi… Akia… I'm sorry… I tried to show the boy the heart of the cards, but…"

Sugoroku couldn't finish his sentence, and groaned in pain.

"Granpa!"

A mocking chuckle came from the door behind Sugoroku.

Kaiba: "Well, you took your time getting here."

Jounouchi: "Bastard, what did you do to Gramps?"

Kaiba: "All we did was duel."

_'__How can a duel cause this much damage to a person? There must've been something more to it…'_

Kaiba: "The bet was the other's most precious card."

"Cut the crap, rich boy. There must've been something more that brought Granpa to this state."

Kaiba looked at Akia with a little resentment in his eyes. It was soon washed off with a cocky smile.

Kaiba: "Well, you're not as dumb as you look. Indeed, I think he may have been a bit shocked by my Virtual Simulator."

Anzu pointed at him accusingly.

Anzu: "You must've pulled some cheap tricks!"

Kaiba: "I don't do that. Here, I'll prove it with the card I won."

Kaiba pulled out the Blue Eyes White Dragon card that belonged to Sugoroku. Then, he tore it in half. Everyone gasped in surprise that turned immediately into horror.

Yugi: "That's my granpa's most cherished card!"

Kaiba: "Only three of the same card are allowed in one deck. Since I already have three of them, this one is useless. This way it will never be used against me.

Sugoroku: "M… My Blue Eyes…"

Sugoroku groaned in pain once more.

Yugi: "How could you do such a thing?!"

"You bastard…"

Akia started shaking with rage. Before she or anyone could stop her, she got in front of Kaiba. She stared at him with eyes full of resentment. He shot her the same look back, and grinned.

Kaiba: "What do you hope to do? It's not like you'll have the guts to even lay a finger on…!"

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a sting on his left cheek, and his head was involuntarily jerked to the right. When he fully realised that Akia had slapped him, he rose his right arm to retaliate.

_Kaiba's POV_

As I was mocking that frail, stupid girl in front me, I felt a pain on my cheek. She dared to slap me? ME? Seto Kaiba? She won't get away with this!

_Jounouchi's POV_

That bastard! He tore Gramps' card! I was about to go beat him senseless, but Akia got there before me. That slap must've hurt! Way to go, Akia! Wait, he's going to retaliate? He would go as low as to hit a girl? I've got to do something…

_Akia's POV_

Man, that felt good! He's planning to hit back, isn't he. Damn it, I won't be fast enough to avoid it, I better just take it… My eyes closed on reflex, waiting for the impact. However, it never came. Instead, I felt arms wrap around me and pull me into a tight hug. I opened my eyes to find my face stuck to a manly chest. She then felt something pushing them hard backwards.

_Outside POV_

Jounouchi planned to take the hit instead of Akia. He hugged her, shielding her from Seto's menacing arm. Instead of being hit, he felt Kaiba's foot kicking him, which caused him to lose balance. He instinctively put a hand behind Akia's head, shielding it from the fall. Jounouchi managed to stop their fall by landing on his knees.

Jounouchi: "AH! KAIBA! Hitting a girl would've been a new low!"

Jounouchi got up and helped Akia up. She felt very confused by the events. Jounouchi protected her?

Kaiba: "Girl? If I ever considered her a girl, then maybe I wouldn't have attempted to hit her."

"Shut it, rich boy!"

A groan from Sugoroku stopped her from arguing more with Seto.

Sugoroku: "Yugi, take these cards… Win against him, with these cards…"

Yugi: "But, I can't just leave you here, Granpa!"

Kaiba: "Interesting. You want revenge for your grandfather? I'll take you on."

Jounouchi: "Yugi… If there's anyone that can teach that guy a lesson, it's you. We'll take care of Granpa from here."

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun…"

Honda: "You can fight him Yugi!"

Anzu: "Teach him the heart of the cards, like what Granpa told you."

"I would've taken him on myself, but I wouldn't have taught him anything, so it's up to you, bro."

Yugi: "You were never good a teaching…"

Yugi turned back to Sugoroku and took his deck.

Yugi: "I understand Granpa."

Anzu: "Now put your hands out, everyone."

Anzu took out a black marker and drew a smiley face on our hands, combined together.

Anzu: "Look, this is proof of our friendship!"

Jounouchi: "…What's this?"

Akia smiled at his aloof expression.

Anzu: "The marker ink will soon disappear, but our hearts and friendship will never disappear!"

Akia chuckled.

"That's deep."

Yugi: "You're right, Anzu-chan."

Anzu, Honda, Jounouchi, and Akia went out to the ambulance that had arrived for Granpa.

Anzu: "Akia, Jounouchi, you two should go support Yugi. Honda and I will take care of Granpa."

Jounouchi: "Got it."

"Take care of him, Anzu."

Akia and Jounouchi rushed back to where Yugi and Kaiba were. When they entered the arena, they saw monsters battling.

Jounouchi: "What the…!"

"This must be his Virtual Simulator… It's incredible…"

Yugi was attacking with his dragon. A young boy entered the arena, yelling 'big brother'.

_'__So the rich boy has a kid brother, huh.'_

The game went on as Kaiba destroyed many of Yugi's monsters with his powered up clown. During the duel, Akia started noticing how Yugi looked a bit different… He looked sharper, less innocent that how her brother always looked. Was it even the same person? The air around him was so different…

She didn't pay much attention to the rest of the duel until Kaiba summoned his Blue Eyes White Dragon. Not only one, but two of them! Yugi managed to hold them off with Sealing Swords of Light. He also managed to summon the Black Magician which managed to defeat Kaiba's Judge Man. The life Points are now 1000/900, with Kaiba leading. Somehow, Kaiba managed to draw his third Blue Eyes, which he summoned. He then attacked the Black Magician, bringing Yugi's life points down to 400.

"Yugi…"

This was bad, and Akia felt it. What chances did he have of winning? It was almost none! She even saw how Yugi was hesitating to draw his next card. Then, all of a sudden, a look of determination filled his eyes, and he drew the card with newly found confidence.

Kaiba: "Did you find despair by reaching your hand out?"

Yugi: "You're wrong! I just found hope! The card I just drew…"

Yugi showed his card to Kaiba.

Yugi: "Is the Sealed One, Exodia!"

"Exodia!"

Akia had heard of it from her granpa. She thought it was some kind of legendary card that no one has ever summoned!

Kaiba: "What?!"

Exodia's form started to materialize as Kaiba stared in horror.

Kaiba: "Impossible! Exodia?! Did you just create a miracle?!"

Yugi attacked with Exodia, defeating all three of his Blue Eyes White Dragons, and bringing Kaiba's life points down to 0.

"Yugi won! That was incredible! I never thought I'd live to see Exodia!"

Jounouchi: "He did it!"

Yugi: "No matter how strong the card is, it's useless if you can't connect your heart with that card. When you do connect, miracles happen!"

Kaiba: "I-Impossible…! How could I lose?!"

Yugi: "Kaiba, your heart is being driven by evil!"

The eye of Anubis appeared on Yugi's forehead. Akia recognized it, and realized that, as she thought, it wasn't Yugi that was standing up there… She felt that it was something like the spirit of the ring, which took over Bakura… But this one… Wasn't as evil… Yugi, or more like the spirit of the puzzle, extended his hand in Kaiba's direction.

Yugi: "Mind Crush!"

Kaiba let out a pained scream and fell to his knees.

Yugi: "I've just destroyed the evil within your heart."

Yugi then came back down from the platform, joining Akia and Jounouchi.

_'__Man… Yesterday was a pretty eventful day… And Yugi… He's got one of these spirits, too. Wait, does that mean I have one too, since I have a millennium item? But it hasn't manifested itself, so I probably don't. Either that, or it's a lazy one.'_

Yugi: "Akia! Wake up! You'll be late for school!"

"Yeah, yeah… I'm awake…"

When they arrived at school, they found Jounouchi duelling Anzu.

_'__I guess he wants his revenge on how badly she beat him yesterday…'_

Bakura: "Good Morning, Akia-chan!"

"Bakura! Man, it feels like it's been forever since I last saw you…"

Bakura: "What do you mean? We just saw each other yesterday at school."

"Lots of things happened since then…"

Anzu: "And I win again!"

Jounouchi: "What?! Yugi, what am I doing wrong?"

Yugi: "Teacher's here, I'll check your deck after."

Jounouchi: "Alright…"

Akia, as usual, dozed off during the lesson. She felt someone poke her arm. She slowly opened her eyes and found Bakura sitting on the chair in front of her, facing her.

"Is the lesson over…?"

Bakura: "Yup, you slept right through it."

Akia got and stretched a little before plopping back down on her seat. She looked around and noticed how Yugi and Jounouchi were missing.

"Where are Jounouchi and Yugi?"

Bakura: "Oh, they went outside for some fresh air."

"Hm… I bet Yugi is giving him some Duel Monsters advice. Hey Bakura, did you make a deck?"

Bakura: "It's not completed, but I'm in the process of making one."

"When you do finish it, I want to be the first one to test it!"

Bakura: "Of course, Akia-chan."

"By the way, Bakura, did the spirit of the ring appear again?"

Bakura: "Actually… He did…"

"So I guess my millennium scale didn't work on him…"

Bakura: "Akia-chan, do you have any idea why he would be after you?"

"Not really… I'm kind of curious about that. Why don't you ask him?"

Bakura: "The thing is, it seems like he doesn't know why either."

"Well that complicates things…"

There was a moment of silence where they both ran through the many questions appearing in their minds.

"Oh hey, do you want to come over today? You never got to see our game shop. Maybe you'll find some good cards there."

Bakura: "Sure, I'll come."

"Great! Let's do that then."

Akia felt another poke on her arms. She fell asleep again during her class. Bakura was trying to wake her up. She opened her eyes, and stared at Bakura with blank eyes.

"Good morning…"

Bakura chuckled at her comment.

Bakura: "Morning? The day is over, Akia-chan."

Akia rubbed her eyes, got up, and stretched. They both started leaving the school.

"Well… let's go get some ice cream."

Bakura: "Ice cream?"

"Yeah, it helps chase away my sleepiness."

Bakura: "It'll be my treat then."

"You sure?"

Bakura: "Yup."

"Then go right ahead!"

Bakura: "Haha, you're an odd one."

"Odd? Who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to get free ice cream?"

Bakura: "If you put it that way…"

"Man, that was good! Thanks again for the treat, Bakura."

Bakura: "No problem, Akia-chan. And you can call me Ryou if you want…"

"Alright, Ryou."

_'__It sounds nice… Saying his first name…'_

Bakura blushed a little, but Akia was way too absorbed in her thoughts to notice it. Eventually they arrived at the game shop, only to find it was closed.

"Did Granpa get kidnapped again…"

Akia said it sarcastically, but she had a little fear in her heart that that might actually be the case. She took out her key and opened the door. Then again, if he was kidnapped, he wouldn't have locked the door.

Bakura: "Kidnapped?"

"Long story… Granpa? You there?"

There was no answer. Akia went to the back door, and Bakura followed. She opened it to find her granpa talking seriously to a kneeling Jounouchi.

"Granpa? Jounouchi?"

Sugoroku's serious expression softened to a welcoming one.

Sugoroku: "Oh, welcome back, Akia! Is that your boyfriend?"

"Is that the only thing you think about… Anyway, why's Jounouchi here?"

Jounouchi: "Ah, Akia! Don't interrupt my training!"

Sugoroku: "As he said, I'm training him."

"Duel Monsters…?"

Jounouchi: "You guessed it! Now go have fun with your boyfriend elsewhere."

Sugoroku: "So he is your boyfriend!"

"No, he isn't! Let's go, Ryou."

She dragged Ryou upstairs.

"Sorry about that…"

Bakura: "I-It's fine…"

Bakura felt a little disappointed by how strongly Akia denied that they had a relationship. He knew she was only saying the truth, but it still hurt him a little.

"Yugi! You there?"

Akia had stopped in front of her brother's room.

Yugi: "Ah, Akia. Welcome back."

Yugi got up from his desk and opened the door. He was a little surprised to see Bakura there.

Yugi: "Bakura-kun? You brought him along?"

"Yup! He never saw how our game shop looked, and I thought he might find something that interested him."

Yugi: "Yeah? Well, that's too bad, because today Granpa is busy… But you should definitely come back again when Granpa isn't wrapped up in other stuff."

Bakura: "Alright, then."

"Hey, Ryou. Come with me, I'll show you how my room looks like."

Yugi: "You know Akia, your laid back attitude around Bakura-kun is kind of why everyone thinks you guys are together… You act way too casual around each other. A normal girl wouldn't bring a guy who isn't her boyfriend into her room…"

"Well, I'm not normal, then! Let's go Ryou."

Akia took Bakura's hand and dragged him to her room. He blushed at the sudden contact. When they got to Akia's room, Bakura sat down on the floor, seiza style. He noticed the Ancient Egyptian history books that Akia told him about. Other than that, it was a very nicely decorated room with a lot of idol posters. He noted down in his mind that Akia was a big fan of boy bands.

"Ryou, you don't have to sit in that uncomfortable position. Relax!"

How could he relax when he was alone in the room of the girl he liked, with the girl he liked. He remembered when she was alone with him in his room. At that time, his feelings for her weren't as strong. Now, he just wanted her… He liked her a lot. However, it didn't seem like she shared the same feelings.

"Hey, Ryou? Are you listening?"

Bakura: "Huh? Yeah!"

He wasn't listening… He was way too wrapped up in his thoughts. Akia had been rambling for a while, until she realized that he wasn't even aware of what she was saying.

Bakura: "Akia… I have something to say…"

He couldn't take it anymore, he wanted to tell her about his feelings.

"Hm? Tell me then."

Bakura: "I… Akia, I…"

Just as he was about to say it, Akia's room door opened.

"Ah, Jounouchi! How was your training?"

Jounouchi: "Man, gramps is a pretty strict teacher… Anyway, I came here to tell you that I'll be leaving for now. But, don't worry, you won't have time to miss me, because I'll be coming everyday here until I learn properly!"

"Man… It'll be noisy everyday… Ryou, you had something to say? Sorry this idiot interrupted you."

Jounouchi: "Idiot?"

Bakura: "Oh, it's fine. I'll tell you some other time."

"You sure…?"

Bakura: "Yeah, I guess I'll be going too. It's getting pretty late."

"Alright, see you tomorrow at school, Ryou."

Bakura waved and followed Jounouchi out. He was finally going to say it, but he got interrupted. He doubted he would be able to muster up the courage to try and say it again anytime soon, but he would say it someday.

* * *

**Tell me what you guys think!**

**Review, please, it makes me happy :DD**


	12. Invitation to Duelist Kingdom

**Finally finished my exams!**

**I'll be updating more often from now on!**

**Also, more duels are coming up, so, if you don't like to read them, you can always skip those parts.**

**Enjooy!**

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Chapter 12: Invitation to Duelist Kingdom

"Wait, so you're coming over today, too?"

Jounouchi: "What did I tell ya? I'm going to be at your place every day until I finish training with Granpa. By the way, what about your boyfriend?"

"What boyfriend?"

Jounouchi: "Bakura! He's not coming over today too?"

"What do you care?"

Jounouchi: "Sheesh, no need to snap at me like that!"

Akia was really not in the mood to deal with Jounouchi's teasing. The truth was, Akia had asked him if he was free to come over, but he was avoiding her all day, so he declined her offer saying that he was busy. He was not flat out ignoring her, but he wasn't keeping eye contact. Usually, he'd approach her at any chance he got, but, that day, he didn't talk to her, unless she initiated the talk herself. His responses were also very brief. And now, on her way home, Jounouchi was asking her about her 'boyfriend'. What was wrong with Ryou? Did she do something wrong that offended him?

Somehow, Honda and Anzu also decided to go over to her and Yugi's house that evening. They said they wanted to cheer Jounouchi on with his training.

Yugi: "Granpa! We're home!"

Sugoroku: "Welcome back! I see you've brought your friends over. What about your boyfriend, Akia?"

"He's not my boyfriend."

Sugoroku: "Whatever you say."

Yugi: "Oh, by the way guys, did you hear about the Duel Monsters tournament? They're going to be airing the final round today."

Jounouchi: "Oh man! That's going to be epic. Let's hurry up before it starts."

"Man… I should've entered that tournament. If it wasn't because of all the schoolwork lately…"

Yugi: "Schoolwork wouldn't stop you from doing whatever you want…"

"That's what you think…"

Anzu: "But I thought that when it comes to tournaments and competitions, the school is pretty lenient and the teachers help you catch up after."

"What?! How come I didn't know that?"

Honda: "You don't exactly pay attention to anything that has to do with school…"

"Well, then… Next Duel Monsters tournament, I'll definitely join!"

Yugi: "Hey guys, I think it's starting!"

On the television screen, that was opened since they came in, the duel between the two finalists of the tournament. The announcer introduces them as Insector Haga, and Dinosaur Ryuuzaki.

"They're the finalists? They look so scrawny…"

Yugi: "You know better than to judge by appearance…"

"Still… There's a limit."

As the duel unfolded, it seemed like Ryuuzaki had the upper hand.

"They have so many rare cards… Granpa, do you have any new packs?"

Sugoroku: "As a matter of fact, I do. But I'll only give you one pack, it's rather expensive…"

Granpa left to go get the pack. At the same time, Haga managed to turn the duel in his advantage.

"Looks like this duel's outcome is decided."

Jounouchi: "And I thought Dinosaur Ryuuzaki had it in the bag!"

Yugi: "Well, now it looks like Haga will win next turn."

Just as Yugi predicted, Insector Haga ended the duel by winning the following turn.

Yugi: "I heard that Pegasus J. Crawford himself will be giving the trophy to the winner."

Honda: "Pegasus?"

"Isn't he the creator of Duel Monsters?"

Yugi: "That's right! I think that's him."

Yugi pointed at the screen where the announcer introduced Pegasus J. Crawford, creator of Duel Monsters, and president of Industrial Illusions. A man with long silver hair made his entrance with the trophy in hand. He gave it to Insector Haga, and invited him to a certain event that was going to be held by his company soon.

"An event? Could it be a tournament? I want to apply!"

Yugi: "I think you actually need an invitation for this."

Sugoroku then made his entrance with a package, and the card pack for Akia in hand.

"Thanks for the cards, Granpa!"

Akia snatched the card pack and immediately opened it. Jounouchi went to sit next to her and check the new cards she got. Everyone else's attention was on the package that Sugoroku brought along.

Yugi: "What's this package, Granpa?"

Sugoroku: "I don't really know, but apparently it was sent to you, Yugi, from Industrial Illusions."

Yugi: "Industrial Illusions?"

At the mention of Industrial Illusions, Akia perked her head up, giving her full attention to the package.

"Could it be an invitation to the tournament?"

Yugi: "I don't know… Let's open it and see."

When Yugi opened it, everyone looked at the content with a puzzled expression.

Honda: "A glove…?"

Jounouchi: "And two stars…"

Yugi: "There's a video tape, too."

Anzu: "Maybe the video tape contains some kind of explanation to all this."

"Let's try playing it."

Yugi took the video tape and inserted it in the VHS player. On the television screen, Pegasus' face appears.

Pegasus: "Hello. Nice to meet you, Yugi boy."

Jounouchi: "He's…!"

"Pegasus J. Crawford!"

Sugoroku: "He's the creator of Duel Monsters!"

Pegasus: "This is a video letter for my dearest Yugi boy."

Yugi gasped in surprise.

Pegasus: "I am aware that you defeated Kaiba boy."

"Well you're quite the celebrity, Yugi."

Pegasus: "So I would like to test your playing strength. But there is a time limit in this duel. The life points will total 2000 points. After 15 minutes, the one with the most remaining life points wins. Sounds good?"

"Wait what?"

Jounouchi: "Does he want Yugi to duel against a video tape?!"

Honda: "That's not possible!"

Pegasus chuckled, and revealed the eye that was covered with his hair.

_'__That's the eye of Anubis!'_

Akia immediately took out her millennium scale, that she kept in the bag next to her.

The eye started shining and, soon, everyone but Yugi and Akia stopped moving, as if time itself stopped. Pegasus looked confused for a bit.

_Pegasus POV_

So that girl holds a millennium item as well… That would explain how she wasn't affected by my millennium eye. Should I invite her to the tournament, too? It could make things interesting… I'm pretty sure she'll find a way to come to the tournament, even without an invitation. If she can't, then she's just a waste of time. That millennium item, though… It's one of the ones that Shadi used to carry around everywhere along with his millennium key. Is she that important that he'd give it to her? Or did she steal it? No… He probably gave it to her.

_Outside POV_

Yugi and Akia looked around them, feeling extremely confused at how everyone just froze.

"Jounouchi! Honda!"

Yugi: "Granpa! Anzu!"

Pegasus chuckled.

Pegasus: "Well, well. You were unaffected by my eye, girl. Other than you, no one else can get in the way, now. Shall we begin, Yugi boy?"

Yugi: "Is this a Dark Game?"

"Tch… It's the first time I'm actually fully conscious during one of those games."

Akia had heard of how her brother got into some of these. She was even there when he initiated one with Ushio-senpai, but she fainted before she could see much.

Yugi's millennium puzzle started shining.

_'__Is he…'_

Akia had a feeling that the spirit inside the puzzle was about to come out. She felt her brother's aura becoming stronger and darker. He also looked older, and less innocent.

Yugi: "A Dark Game? In that case, I'll be your opponent."

Pegasus: "The Duel starts now!"

The counter started counting down the 15 minutes of the duel. Pegasus laid a facedown card in the trap/spell cards section, and ended his turn.

Pegasus: "Your turn, Yugi."

Yugi drew his card.

Yugi: "Alright, I use this card."

Pegasus: "The Devil Dragon Card, am I right?"

"How did he…?!"

_'__Did he cheat? Or did he just guess correctly? Can he see through cards?'_

Akia and Yugi felt surprised, almost horrified at how Pegasus was able to know which card Yugi was about to play.

Pegasus: "I already knew that you would play this card. That's why… I activate my trap card, Dragon-type Sealing Jar. Your dragon will be sealed in this jar, now."

Strong light came out of the TV and Yugi's dragon was sealed.

"How…"

The duel kept going, and Pegasus predicted every single card and strategy that Yugi was about to play.

Pegasus: "You are probably very shocked right now, Yugi boy. This is reality: you cannot defeat me. And if you lose, you will have no choice but to participate in my tournament."

Yugi: "What?"

Pegasus: "It is meant to determine who is the real King of Duelists in the game of Duel Monsters."

Yugi: "King of Duelists?"

Pegasus: "That's right! The winner will receive the title of "King", along with a cash prize and great fortune!"

Yugi: "Such an even doesn't interest me. What if I decline?"

"Well it interests me…"

Pegasus: "No, no! You don't have the privilege to decline. The very fact that you cannot defeat me ensures the fact that you shall not escape me. As for you, girl, if you are able to find a way to participate in the event without an invitation, then you are welcome to do so."

_'__Dammit… I'll have to actually do an effort to participate.'_

Yugi: "I haven't lost yet."

Pegasus: "Okay, then let us continue the game."

_Yugi's POV_

There has to be a reason why Pegasus knows what cards I'm holding. What is it? He might be controlling me with magic somehow… It could be some kind of hypnosis… It's the same as if he could see what is in my hand. I discovered the secret of his so-called "magic". If I use a card in my hand, I'll be under the influence of his "magic… I believe in my Deck! I will bet everything on them!

_Outside POV_

Pegasus: "Now, Yugi boy, it's your turn!"

_'__I'm pretty sure it's that eye of his that makes him able to read Yugi's mind. It's like Shadi's millennium key where he was able to enter my mind. I wonder if Yugi figured it out… Or at least, figured out a way to keep Pegasus from seeing what's in his mind.'_

Yugi drew a card from his deck, without looking at it, and placed it on the field.

Pegasus: "It's no use, if you're going to use your Undead Zombie."

Yugi: "I knew it. Your "magic" has come to an end, Pegasus. You might know what cards I have in my hand, but you have no idea what the cards I draw from my Deck are."

Pegasus: "What…"

_'__Good! He figured it out, or at least some of it.'_

Yugi: "My card is Black Magician!"

Pegasus frowns slightly, and feigns an overly dramatic disappointed face, while adopting a sarcastic tone.

Pegasus: "No! It is not a Zombie-type!"

Yugi succeeded in attacking Pegasus, dropping his Life Points to 1200.

Pegasus: "Well, I congratulate you! Because you discovered the secret to my power, you pass this test! But you underestimate the extent of that power!"

Yugi: "What?"

_'__There's more to it…?'_

The duel went on, and Pegasus was able to take control of the Black Magician, destroying Yugi's monster, and dropping his Life Points to 400.

Yugi started thinking that maybe Pegasus was really able to read his mind.

Pegasus: "Now once I end my turn, it'll be time up! Nice fight, Yugi boy!"

_'__10 seconds left… Can Yugi really win this now? It feels like it'll be over before he can.'_

Yugi: "The game's not over yet! My last card is the Fiend-type, Demon's Summon (2500/1200)!"

Just when Yugi's monster started his attack, the time reached its limit and all monsters disappeared from the field.

"So close…"

Pegasus: "Game Over. Just like the girl said, so close! I would've lost if you just had one more second. Yugi boy, you hold far greater skill than I originally anticipated. I have a strong feeling we will be fighting again soon in Duelist Kingdom."

Yugi: "What if I don't want to?"

Pegasus: "You are unable to escape me."

Pegasus revealed his millennium eye, taking Akia and Yugi by surprise. Akia, in an act of defense, brought her millennium scale in front of her.

Pegasus: "My power is the Shadow Power of the Millennium Eye."

Yugi: "Millennium Eye?"

"I knew it… This was all a millennium item's doing!"

Pegasus: "I'll see you again in Duelist Kingdom, if you want back your most valuable treasure."

A beam of light shot from Pegasus' eye and targeted Yugi and Akia's granpa. Right after, they both saw their granpa trapped in the TV.

"What is that?! Granpa!"

Sugoroku: "Yugi… Akia…"

Yugi went back to his usual self, and grabbed the TV screen, trying to reach his granpa.

Yugi: "Granpa!"

The room went back to normal, as if time began running again. However, Sugoroku was the only that wasn't back to normal. He collapsed, as Yugi was shouting his name at the television.

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	13. Jounouchi's Story

**Alright, so this is the last chapter before going to the Duelist Kingdom! I promise it'll get a little faster once we get there.**

**In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter :D**

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Chapter 13: Jounouchi's Story

The next day at school, Akia wasn't her usual lively self. She pretty much didn't talk to anyone. Even Yugi seemed less depressed than she was. In fact, he was worried about her. Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda had been trying to cheer her up, but she didn't even give a single reaction to whatever they said. It went to the point that Bakura stopped avoiding her, because he was starting to get worried about her.

Bakura: "Akia, what happened?"

She just sat there at her desk, looking down. She was lost deep in her thoughts, and all that was on her mind was how her granpa's soul was literally sucked into the TV by some weird magic from a creepy millennium eye that was possessed by an equally creepy American man who apparently was also the creator of Duel Monsters, and now he wanted Yugi to go participate in his tournament to save their granpa… Yeah… She had a lot on her mind. Just like all the previous attempts made by her other friends, Bakura's attempt to make her feel better failed as well.

Classes were over and most people had already left the classroom. Akia was slowly packing up her books in her backpack. The sun was just starting to set as she was leaving the classroom. The school was mostly quiet, apart from a few club activities that were going on that day. As she was passing through the empty corridor, she heard a noise coming from the room just ahead. Probably another club… As she got closer to the classroom, she heard Jounouchi's voice.

_'__I didn't know Jounouchi was part of any club…'_

She got to the room slowly, to not alert him, and peeked inside. He was setting up the TV in the classroom. After putting things in place, he took out a tape and inserted it in the player. On the screen, a girl's face appeared. She looked young. Then, she started talking to Jounouchi.

"Big brother Katsuya! Long time no see! Have you been well?"

_'__Big brother? Jounouchi has a little sister?'_

Jounouchi: "Shizuka!"

Jounouchi sounded surprised to find out that the tape was a video letter from his little sister.

Shizuka: "I made this video so you won't forget my face, big brother."

_'__Don't they like live together? But if they did… I would've figured out about the fact that he had a sister.'_

Shizuka: "But… I won't be able to see your face anymore. To be honest, I really didn't want to talk through a video, but face-to-face… I wanted to see your face one last time."

Jounouchi: "Last time…?! Shizuka…!"

Akia was feeling confused about what Jounouchi's sister was saying. Somehow, seeing how Shizuka struggled to not cry made her feel as though there was a lump in her own throat. She wondered just how much worse Jounouchi must be feeling, considering Shizuka is his sister.

Shizuka: "Well… Bye bye, big brother…"

And the video tape ended on that note, leaving only the sound of static filling the room.

Jounouchi: "Dammit…"

Akia entered the classroom, and put a hand on Jounouchi's shoulder. A little startled, he turned around to face her. When he found out who it was, his face relaxed a little.

Jounouchi: "Isn't it a little too late for you to still be here?"

"I should ask you the same thing…"

An awkward silence lingered in the room. After a bit, Akia decided to break it.

"You… never told me you had a sister."

Jounouchi: "You never asked."

"Is something wrong with her? She looked like she was in a hospital…"

Jounouchi sighed.

Jounouchi: "I… I'm probably going to sound pathetic asking you this, but… I really want to talk to someone about it… to get it off my chest…"

It was the first time that Akia had seen Jounouchi in such a state. It was breaking her heart. She got a chair from behind one of the desks in the classroom, and brought it next to the chair Jounouchi was sitting on. She sat down, facing him.

"I'm listening. I think at some point, everyone just needs someone they can lean on."

Jounouchi: "Thanks… I never thought I'd actually be talking to you about my family problems. I'm really sorry to bother you with this, considering what happened to granpa…"

"It's alright… So what happened to Shizuka?"

Jounouchi: "Well… When we were very young, our parents got divorced. We were separated from each other. She ended up living with mom, while I stayed with my dad. It was… a tough time."

_'__So they aren't living together…'_

Jounouchi: "As her big brother, I couldn't be there for her for many things. A lot of times, I wish I could've been there. Especially when… doctors told her that she had major problems with her eyes…"

"Her eyes?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah… For a long time, she's been getting diagnosed frequently. Recently though… She… The doctor told her that she needed a surgery or else… she'd completely lose her sight."

"She… wouldn't be able to see again?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah…"

Akia could feel it in Jounouchi voice that he was trying really hard not cry. His voice was shaking…

"But… can't she just take the surgery? Won't it prevent that?"

Jounouchi: "The problem is that the surgery costs way too much. We can't afford it…"

"…Jounouchi…"

Akia had no idea how much Jounouchi was suffering this whole time. More than anything, she wanted to help him, but… She wasn't exactly rich either.

On her way home, she caught Yugi at the Game Shop door, looking at some sort of cards.

"Yugi?"

Yugi turned around at his sister's voice.

Yugi: "Akia! Are you alright? You've been looking really depressed for the whole day…"

"I'm managing… More importantly, what's that in your hands?"

Yugi: "Oh these? They're the invitation to Duelist Kingdom, the tournament that Pegasus organized."

"So basically, if you win this thing, you can get granpa back, right?"

Yugi: "That's right!"

"Let's go inside and talk about this whole mess."

The twins went inside the Game Shop, and looked at the contents of the white envelope. One of the cards had a castle placed on an island.

"So… that's Duelist Kingdom."

Yugi: "Apparently, we're going there by boat then."

They both spent most of the afternoon and night examining the cards and discussing what they were going to plan on doing. They also spent some time trying to strengthen their decks for the upcoming tournament.

* * *

**So, how was it?**

**Review and tell me if you liked it! :DDD**


	14. To Duelist Kingdom

**Here's the longest chapter I've ever written!**

**It took me literally forever, but I did it!**

**I hope you guys enjoy it :D**

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Chapter 14: To Duelist Kingdom

A week later, Yugi filled his friends in on the details.

Yugi: "The boat will be departing at 10:30pm. I should board from Domino Pier."

Anzu: "So your grandfather is there, on that island?"

Yugi: "I don't know…"

"He will be. Wherever Pegasus is, is where granpa will be."

Jounouchi: "You sound sure…"

"Because I am."

It was that cursed millennium eye. It had power over people's souls, just like her own millennium scale. Yugi still didn't fully comprehend the extents of the powers of his millennium puzzle, because he just recently solved it. She didn't know the extents of her own millennium item either, but she knew enough to understand that her grandfather's soul had been taken by that eye.

Yugi: "Yeah, I think Akia's right. In any case, I have no choice but to go to that island."

Honda: "But it sure is weird how your granpa was just taken like that while we were out cold."

They all stare down at the cards sent by Pegasus. There was a total of five cards. A card with the picture of the island, another with a ship, a third one with a glove and stars, a fourth one with a pretty valuable looking treasure titled "Glory of the King's Hand", and, finally, a blank card, with just a white background. That blank card kind of unnerved Akia.

Jounouchi: "Dammit! We can't get on the boat without an invitation card! We have to find a way to go there with you."

Anzu: "That's right."

Honda: "Aren't you going too, Akia? How are you planning on getting aboard the ship without an invitation?"

"I'll manage, but I'm definitely getting on that boat."

Anzu: "Not without us!"

Honda: "By the way, that "Glory of the King's Hand" card is a huge cash prize!"

Jounouchi: "Cash prize?"

Yugi: "It means the winner will receive a huge cash prize."

Jounouchi: "Hey! Let me see that!"

Everyone was surprised at Jounouchi's reaction except for Akia. She knew how badly he needed the money for his sister's operation. Akia then felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned her head around, and saw that the owner of that hand was Bakura.

"Ryo!"

Bakura: "Heh, I see you're doing much better now."

He smiled sweetly at her. She smiled back.

"You're not going to start ignoring me again, now that I'm fine?"

Bakura's smile disappeared. He looked a little ashamed.

Bakura: "I'm sorry about that… I don't know what got into me."

"It's alright, just don't do it again!"

Bakura smile instantly returned.

Bakura: "Don't worry, I won't."

"That's a relief."

Akia giggled shyly. She and Bakura went and sat down in their usual positions: her on her desk's chair, and him on the chair in front of her desk, facing her.

Bakura: "So, you're going on a boat?"

"Wait, how do you know? Did you eavesdrop on us?"

Akia playfully teased him while poking his arm.

Bakura: "No, I just overheard. I didn't really catch everything, though."

"I was actually planning on telling you. It's that I was all caught up in my emotions, and I needed a little time to calm down."

Bakura started petting Akia's hair, causing her to open her eyes wide in surprise. After the surprise passed, Akia started blushing, realizing just how good that actually felt.

Bakura: "I wish I could've done something to help you get through those hard times."

"Ryo… It's alright. I was being difficult."

Bakura took away his hand, and smiled.

Bakura: "So? What happened to get you so depressed?"

Akia broke eye contact with Bakura, trying to gather her thoughts. Then, she took a long breath, and brought her gaze back to Bakura's.

"Do you know about Pegasus J. Crawford?"

Bakura: "Isn't he the creator of Duel Monsters?"

"That's right."

Bakura: "What about him?"

"He's hosting a tournament. A Duel Monsters tournament."

Bakura: "Go on."

"Yugi was invited to that tournament, but… a little forcefully."

Bakura: "What do you mean?"

"…Ryo… Pegasus has a millennium item, just like you, Yugi, and me."

A strange spark lighted up in Bakura's eyes. Even though the spirit of the ring hadn't manifested himself, he was listening to every word Akia was saying. He had been doing this ever since he first came face to face with her. He wanted to find out more about her, and now, she was giving him important information on where another millennium item was. Since he made it his goal to collect all of the millennium items, she was being a great help right there. He couldn't let her get suspicious of his goals, though. That was why he always kept a low profile, examining her through his host's eyes. The last time when she tried to banish his soul, it wasn't all that pleasant. It took him a while to fully recover. That was why, for now, he planned to quietly listen to what she had to say, waiting for the moment where she would drop her guard around him. He was slowly taking over his host's consciousness to get as much information out of her.

Bakura: "A millennium item? You sure about that?"

"Yeah… He used it to take our granpa's soul and keep it captive. Yugi has no choice but to go to that tournament, hoping that it'll save our granpa."

Bakura: "You're planning on going, too?"

"Of course I'm planning on doing that. Even though I don't have an invitation, I'll find a way somehow to sneak on that boat. Honda, Jounouchi, and Anzu are also planning on finding a way to get there."

Bakura: "You know, it won't be easy."

"I know that…"

The spirit of the ring had now already taken complete control over Bakura. Akia was too wrapped up in her emotions to even notice.

Bakura: "I have an idea on how to get on that boat."

"You do?! You'll help me?"

Bakura: "Of course I will. How about we meet up after school today, and discuss how to get there. The boat departs today, right?"

"That's right, at 10:30pm."

Bakura: "Pack your stuff, and meet up at the Domino Pier two hours before the departure."

Akia's eyes started filling up with hope, and she took Bakura's hands in her own. It caught the spirit of the ring off guard, but he did his best not to do any sudden movements.

"Ryo, thank you so much! I don't know what I'd do without you."

Bakura: "D... Don't worry about it. I'll take care of things."

_Bakura's POV_

Why am I not hating this? I should feel like I want to murder this girl for acting so familiar around me, even if she thinks I'm that other weakling. I knew there was something odd about her. She's making feel strange! I wonder why her hands are so cold… No! Why do I even care?

"Hey, Akia, why are your hands so cold?"

Dammit! Why did I ask that? Wait, why did she let go of my hands?

"Well… It's because they're naturally colder than most people. Did it… bother you?"

"Not at all! I was just curious!"

I take her hands back into mine. This is so unlike me, but I want to somehow keep them warm. Is she blushing? Cute.

_Outside POV_

Akia was blushing a lot at Bakura's sudden gesture. He kept rubbing her hands with his, trying to warm them up.

For the whole day, Akia kept looking at her hands, remembering Bakura's soft touch. His hands were much warmer than hers, like almost everyone else's hands. She was so confused. Why did Bakura make her feel this way? She thought only Jounouchi could make her heart flutter. And before Jounouchi, she thought it was only Marik, the boy she met so long ago… Marik… She wondered how he was doing. Was he living a good life? Did he still remember her? Or was he slowly forgetting her, just like she was also slowly forgetting him.

After school, Akia headed straight home, not even waiting for her brother. As soon as she got home, she took a backpack and started packing it with food, extra underwear, and some clothes. Of course, she didn't forget to pack her millennium scale, too.

"That should be enough… I hope it'll be enough. Now for my cards."

She took her deck, and a few extra cards, in case she felt the need to change her deck or trade with other duelists. Just as she was closing up her backpack, Yugi knocked on her room door.

Yugi: "Akia, you in there?"

"Yeah, you can come in."

Yugi opened the door, and got in.

Yugi: "Do you know how you're going to be able to get on the boat?"

"Don't worry about me, Yugi. You just focus on winning this tournament."

Akia got up, and took a quick scan of her room, checking if she didn't forget anything.

Yugi: "Wait, you're leaving now? There's still like two and half hours before boarding time."

"Well, I'm not exactly boarding like normal people here… I'm literally going to sneak into that boat."

Yugi: "Are you sure that you'll be alright?"

Akia nodded and started heading for the door.

Yugi: "Be careful, Akia."

"I will, Yugi. See you on the boat."

Once Akia arrived at the Domino Pier, she noticed that the boat wasn't even here yet. It didn't seem like Bakura was either… The sea looked calm. It was already pretty dark out. There was only the sound of small waves crashing on the shore. After a bit of waiting, Akia heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and found herself face to face with Bakura. However, this time, she noticed that he was different. She took a step backwards.

"You're… You're the spirit of the ring aren't you?"

Bakura chuckled.

Bakura: "You actually figured it out this time."

"…What do you mean?"

Bakura: "I mean that the whole time we were talking in the class, it was mostly me you were talking to."

Akia couldn't believe it. How could she have not noticed that it was the spirit of the millennium ring she was talking to?

"What do you want from me?"

Bakura: "I don't know what I want from you."

He sounded a little annoyed.

"Then why are you here?"

Bakura: "Didn't I offer to help you? You should be grateful that I even showed up."

"Wait… you actually want to help me? This wasn't just a plan to get me alone and take my millennium scale?"

Bakura: "That would be a good idea, but I don't want to risk getting banished another time. Are we going to end this meaningless chit-chat or do you really want to miss out on the plan to get on the boat?"

Akia started relaxing a bit, but she still didn't let her guard down.

"That still doesn't explain why you want to help…"

Bakura: "I want to get to that island just as much as you. But I have a different goal…"

"What goal…?"

Bakura was really starting to lose patience at this point. He took a deep breath, and tried to answer her as pleasantly as possible.

Bakura: "Are you really that gullible? I'm going there for the millennium item Pegasus has. Now let's end this conversation before I change my mind!"

His voice had so much authority, that Akia just nodded. This calmed him down. He took her wrist and dragged her behind one of the warehouses.

Bakura: "Here should be a good place to tell you what we're going to do."

Akia simply nodded again.

Bakura: "It's pretty simple. When the boat arrives, there will probably be some people standing at the entrance to keep an eye on who enters. One of us will need to distract them so that the other one gets on the boat. Then, the one who was distracting them will swim behind the boat, and the one who's already on the boat will bring the other one up using those buoy things they probably have."

"That sounds smart enough. Now all that's left to decide is who'll be the one to distract them and who will be the one to sneak on the boat."

Bakura: "You'll distract them."

"Wait, what? I don't even know how to swim!"

Bakura: "Great… Now that complicates things."

"You know how to swim?"

Bakura: "Of course I know! …Wait…"

"So that settles it! You'll distract them, and I'll pull you up on the boat."

Bakura covered his face with his hands in exasperation. He sighed, and looked at Akia.

Bakura: "Don't bother. I'll find a way to get on."

"If you say so… Now we just have to wait for the boat. By the way, how do you plan on distracting them? Also how do you plan on getting on the boat?"

Bakura: "That's my business."

"Fine…"

Akia crossed her arms, and looked away. Bakura just kept staring at her. He was wondering why he took so much interest in her. She looked like an average girl, with average looks, and annoying character. If anything, he should be hating her. In fact, a portion of him despised everything about her, but… another part of him wanted to protect her, and take care of her. And those two parts didn't even include his pathetic host who was terribly fond of her.

Akia, who didn't notice Bakura staring at her, started walking towards the shore.

Bakura: "Where are you going?"

"I think I heard something."

Akia looked at the horizon, along the sea, and she saw a small light. She pointed at it, and looked behind her at Bakura who got up and followed her.

"There! I think that's the boat!"

Bakura: "It looks like it'll be here in a few minutes. Half an hour at most. You should look around and find a good place to hide, where you'll be able to still see everything that's happening."

"Alright…"

Akia looked at the floor in front of her feet, taking a deep breath. Bakura glanced at her. She looked a little nervous for some reason. It made him want to know why.

Bakura: "Is something wrong?"

She snapped her head up and looked at Bakura.

"I'm just… a little scared that's all. I mean I don't exactly sneak up on boats every day so… I'm scared I might mess up."

Bakura chuckled.

Bakura: "Cute…"

"What…?"

Akia was startled at what he said. Bakura kept a straight face.

Bakura: "Nothing. Just do as I said and you'll be fine. If you mess up, I'll cover it up."

"…Fine. I'll go look around. By the way, you should give me your sweater."

Bakura: "Huh? Why?"

"Well, all your clothes are going to be soaked, so at least the sweater will be the only dry thing."

Bakura: "Who said I was going to jump in?"

Akia blinked confusingly.

"Didn't you say the one who is supposed to distract them will have to swim after the other one is on the boat?"

Bakura: "That was because I was planning to have you distract them. I didn't think I'd be the one doing it."

"Wait, so you have your own plan to get on?"

Bakura: "Yeah. It's something only I can do. All you'll have to do, is get on the boat when I clear the entrance."

"I… guess."

The boat had finally arrived. Akia had found a good place to hide behind a few boxes piled up in front of a warehouse. She could see Bakura standing in the shade, keeping a low profile. Some men, who looked like they were part of security got down from the boat, and stood at the boarding area, making sure nobody got in without an invitation. It didn't seem like anyone of the duelists who were invited was here yet. Bakura then held his millennium ring.

_'__So the thing that only he can do has something to do with his millennium ring…'_

She then heard the guards exclaim, and run away from the entrance.

_'__What? What happened? Why are they running away? Now's my chance, though. I'll ask the spirit of the ring about it later.'_

Akia ran towards the entrance, and got on the boat. She hid in between a few boxes, and waited for Bakura to arrive.

It took about five minutes, before she saw him getting on the boat. He looked around, probably trying to find where she was. She got out of her hiding spot, and tapped him on the shoulder. Bakura turned around.

Bakura: "Good. I guess sneaking on the boat was a success."

He took her wrist and dragged her to a place where they could hide until the ship sailed.

"By the way, what did you do to those security people? They just ran off."

Bakura: "Oh, I showed them a few terrifying images. Humans are so weak sometimes."

"So… you're not human?"

Bakura wasn't expecting that question. It caught him off guard. He looked at Akia with a confused face.

Bakura: "I don't know."

"There's a lot of things that you don't know, huh?"

Bakura looked away. It was true, though. He didn't know anything about who he really was or why he was in that ring. All he knew is that he should gather all the millennium items, and then he might figure out about who he really was. He felt Akia fidget next to him. Now that he noticed, they were sitting really close to each other in between a few cargo boxes.

"How long will it be until the contestants get on?"

Bakura: "It's ten. They should be here in half an hour."

Akia yawned. She was really sleepy due to the fact that she spent most of the night before working on her deck. She would let herself fall asleep, but she didn't trust the spirit of the ring. He could steal her millennium scale while she was asleep.

Bakura: "If you're sleepy, go ahead and sleep."

"No way. You'll just take my scale while I'm sleeping."

Bakura: "Good point."

Akia then took her backpack, put her knees up, and hugged it tightly. Like that, even if she fell asleep, she'd feel it if he tried to take her scale.

Bakura: "Hey… Wake up…"

Akia slowly opened her eyes.

_'…__Oh crap! I ended up falling asleep!'_

She realized that she was leaning against Bakura's shoulder. She quickly sat up, and looked around. She was still a little dazed. She looked at her backpack, that she was still hugging tightly. It didn't seem like Bakura even tried to touch it.

"What time is it?"

Bakura: "It's 10:35."

"Is Yugi here?"

Bakura: "I think so. It's safe to go check now."

"Alright… You're not coming?"

Bakura: "I'd rather stay behind the scenes."

Akia shrugged and got out of her hiding. She went to look around the ship. A lot of people were starting to get on. She looked over at the pier, and saw a ton of people still lined up to get on the boat. She looked more closely, and she noticed Yugi, and Jounouchi getting on the boat. She ran towards them.

"Yugi! Jounouchi!"

They were both surprised, and, when they finally got over their surprise, Jounouchi patted her head.

Jounouchi: "I don't know how you made it on this ship before us, but I'm glad to see you can handle yourself."

Yugi: "Akia! I'm glad you made it. I wouldn't be able to go through this tournament without you."

"Where are Honda and Anzu?"

Jounouchi: "I don't think they'll be able to come."

After a bit, the ship started moving.

Jounouchi: "I'm so excited!"

"Same here."

Yugi nodded. A female voice from behind them resound.

"Unbelievable."

All three turned around and came face to face with a blonde woman, who seemed to be in her early twenties.

"Well those are some massive boobs…"

Akia whispered to Yugi.

Yugi: "Akia…!"

"What?! It's true!"

"Are you that boy, Yugi?"

Jounouchi looked so awestruck that all that was left was to see him drool.

Jounouchi: "Alright! What a nice woman!"

It got on Akia's nerves seeing him fawn all over that woman. What was worse was that that woman was taller, prettier, and older than her. On top of that, she had one awesome bodyline. How could Akia even compete? Akia hoped that Jounouchi wouldn't actually keep drooling over her.

"It's really unexpected that a shrimp like you beat Kaiba."

She got close to Yugi, who also looked like he was about to drool.

_'__Do all guys just fall for any pretty girl that comes along?'_

"You're famous, you know."

Yugi: "R-Really? Thanks!"

Jounouchi: "Miss, I'm a friend of the famous Duelist Yugi! I'm a great Duelist, ya know?"

Akia face palmed herself. The woman turned to Jounouchi, with a completely disinterested look. She then almost immediately turned back to Yugi.

"In a duel, even if the opponent is a shrimp, I won't go easy on them. I'll beat you down."

She turned around and started leaving.

Jounouchi still looked like an idiot with his mouth agape.

Jounouchi: "Woohoo! Duel me~"

The woman then turned her head towards them.

"I am Mai Kujaku. See you around, kid."

She then left.

"Glad she's gone…"

Akia had an annoyed face.

Yugi: "Hehe…"

Jounouchi: "Hey, let's get in! I bet she'll be there."

Yugi and Jounouchi went ahead of Akia. She was now beyond pissed. As she started to follow them, she heard voices coming from the cargo on her right. She got closer, and she noticed that Honda and Anzu were hiding there.

"Guys! You made it!"

Honda: "Shh! Keep it down!"

"…Sorry."

She got in with them.

Anzu: "I can't believe those two sex maniacs…"

"I get how you feel, Anzu. I really wanted to punch them hard, but I held myself back."

Honda: "Come on, don't be so harsh. She was pretty damn sexy."

Both Anzu and Akia glared at Honda, who shrunk away.

Anzu: "Oh no…"

"What is it?"

Anzu: "I need to use the bathroom, I don't think I can hold it much longer. Where's the bathroom?"

Honda pointed at the ocean and gave a perverted smile.

Honda: "You can just go do it there."

Anzu got angry and glared at him.

Anzu: "Idiot! I'm not a boy!"

Just then, a door opened, so Honda and Anzu hid. Akia, on the other hand, peeked out to see who it was. She then saw Bakura coming out. She could tell Honda and Anzu about it, but he said he wanted to keep a low profile, so she kept it to herself. After Bakura went back in, Akia sat back down.

"The coast is clear for now. By the way, why are you guys hiding?"

Anzu: "The security saw our faces so they know we don't belong here."

"Ah. Well, at least you were still able to get on."

Honda: "Yup."

They then all suddenly heard Yugi cry out.

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun!"

"What was that?"

Anzu: "Yugi! I think Yugi is in trouble!"

Honda: "Oh well, it doesn't matter if they find out about us, but friends come first."

Honda, Anzu, and Akia got out of their hiding place and ran towards where they heard Yugi. When they got there, they found Yugi jumping off the boat.

"Yugi!"

Akia went and got the emergency ladder. Honda took it from her and threw it down to Yugi.

Anzu: "Yugi!"

Honda: "Are you alright?!"

They all looked down, and saw Yugi swimming to the ladder, holding up Jounouchi.

Anzu: "Get on!"

Honda: "Hurry it up!"

After they got Jounouchi and Yugi out of the water, they finally all took a breath of relief.

Yugi: "Thanks guys. But how come you're both here, Anzu-chan, Honda-kun?"

Anzu: "We were worried."

Honda: "We didn't want to leave you alone."

Yugi: "Everyone, thanks."

Jounouchi: "Sorry, Yugi… I only found two of your cards…"

"Wait… what cards?"

Yugi: "We met Insector Haga, and he threw out my Exodia cards. But that's okay, Jounouchi-kun."

Jounouchi: "There's no way it's "okay"! I'm always like this… I can't help anyone! Even my own little sister, Shizuka."

"Jounouchi…"

Yugi: "Your little sister?"

Anzu: "You have a little sister, Jounouchi?"

_'__I guess I really am the only person he told his story to…'_

Jounouchi: "My parents got divorced when we were young. She's very far away now, living with mom. When my little sister was born, she had bad eyes. Someday, she will go blind."

Yugi: "Blind?"

Jounouchi: "Last week, she sent me a video tape. The doctor probably told her that the day she was dreading was coming soon. This problem is not easy to heal. There are some experienced doctors with the good equipment in Germany. I want her to see one of those doctors, but I don't have the money… So I have to win this tournament! If I win, I'll get the cash prize. Then I'll have a chance of saving Shizuka!"

Jounouchi was starting to tear up. All of his friends listened to him without interrupting him.

The sun started to rise. Jounouchi and Yugi had gone to dry off their clothes, and they were back out with Anzu, Honda, and Akia.

"I can't believe I spent a whole night without any sleep…"

Honda: "You're not the only one."

Yugi: "I can't believe you actually resisted falling asleep this whole time."

"It's not like I had a choice with all the stuff that happened!"

Honda: "I see the island!"

All of them faced towards the direction Honda was pointing at.

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun, we will make it. Me for my granpa and you for your sister."

"Don't forget me."

Yugi: "You're joining?"

"Of course I am."

Anzu: "Yeah, we're cheering for you guys."

As the island got closer, so did Akia's nervousness.

"Duelist Kingdom…"

_'__Finally… We'll save you, granpa.'_

* * *

**So I'll be having an eye surgery (lol what a coincidence, Shizuka...) No but seriously I'll be having a surgery so I won't be able to update in a while...**

**But after the recovery time, I'll be back on track! Yays! :D**

**Review, please! ;)**


	15. First Opponent

**I'm soooo sorry it took me forever, but I was really busy with a bunch of stuff, so I couldn't sit down and write at all...**

**I wanted to write more, but it would've taken me even more time.**

**I just hope you guys enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

Chapter 15: First Opponent

"Dry land in sight!"

Akia was really excited about getting off the boat. She didn't exactly like large bodies of water, considering the fact that she couldn't swim.

Honda looked a little worried, and he started whispering his worries to Akia and Anzu.

Honda: "Anzu, Akia, what if they figure out that we don't have Star Chips? Don't we stand out?"

Anzu: "It's alright, they won't check again, but they'll suspect you if you're uptight."

"I might not have any Star Chips now, but I'll get them soon."

Akia smirked from the excitement that was filling her as they got closer to the island.

When the ship docked, they all started disembarking from the boat. One of the security people called out to Honda.

"Hey!"

Honda, surprised and panicked, looked back at him.

"You should relax a bit."

Honda: "Y… Yes! Thank you!"

Honda hurried to join the others. Having safely gotten away from the security guards, Honda panted loudly.

Honda: "I thought my heart was going to stop!"

Anzu: "Geez, you were frightened like a little kid."

Akia giggled at the comment.

Jounouchi: "Alright! At least we all got here safe-"

Before Jounouchi could finish his sentence, he sneezed and Akia barely dodged it.

"Jounouchi!"

Yugi: "Akia, it's all my fault… Sorry, Jounouchi-kun."

Jounouchi: "Don't worry about it, Yugi. But I can't forgive that bastard who tossed your precious cards away."

Jounouchi turned his gaze towards Insector Haga.

"Yugi, can I take him on?"

Yugi: "I think I should be the one who does that. I mean, it's my cards he took."

"Fine…"

"All Duelists…"

Everyone's attention turned towards the source of the powerful voice calling for their attention. A tall man with pointy hair and sunglasses, one of those who were in charge of security on the ship, stood in front of a long staircase leading to a majestic palace.

"…gather around the castle gates."

"Wait… we have to go all the way up there? I thought this was a Duel Monsters Tournament, not a workout session!"

Yugi: "Stop being lazy, Akia…"

Jounouchi: "Yeah, this is Pegasus' castle, after all, so let's go!"

"Damn it… Guess I have no choice…"

They all started going up the huge set of staircases.

On their way up, something caught Anzu's attention.

Anzu: "Hmm?"

Honda: "What's wrong, Anzu?"

Anzu: "Wasn't that Bakura-kun over there?"

Yugi: "Bakura-kun?"

_'__Ryou?'_

Akia averted her gaze to where Anzu was pointing. All the others did the same, but there was no sign of Bakura anywhere.

Anzu: "Huh? He's gone? I guess I was just imagining it."

_'__No you weren't… That was probably Ryou. I would tell them about it, but he didn't seem like he wanted them to know he's here. Besides, I owe him for getting me this far.'_

Honda: "Let's go."

They all started going up again, but Akia's gaze still lingered on where Anzu pointed. That was when Bakura reappeared again. They looked at each other and he put a finger on his mouth, telling her to keep it a secret that he was really there. Akia nodded, confused as to why he would want to keep it a secret.

Yugi: "Akia! Don't fall behind!"

Akia redirected her attention to Yugi, and followed the group up the stairs.

_'__But why… Why would he want to keep it a secret from them that he's here? Should I really just keep it to myself and not tell everyone? Well, it's none of my business I guess…'_

After they all arrived in front of the gate, Akia let out a giant sigh.

"Man, we made it alive!"

Anzu: "That was a lot of stairs…"

Akia started looking around for any potential duelists that she could go after. She found two guys talking worriedly about the other duelists.

"Hey, look! Those are some amazing members…!"

"That's Japan's Champ, Insector Haga. and Number Two, Dinosaur Ryuuzaki!"

"And there's Ryota Kajiki, who came in third place!"

_'__Well, that means I should stay clear of those three… At least for now.'_

"Everyone, the host, Pegasus-sama, will now explain the Dueling rules of this tournament."

Everyone looked up at the balcony, awaiting Pegasus to make an appearance.

"There he is…"

Akia clenched her fists. Jounouchi put a hand on her shoulder, to calm her down.

Pegasus: "Welcome! Welcome to the Duelist Kingdom!"

The crowd cheered.

Pegasus: "Now allow me to explain the rules to you. Please use your Duel Monsters cards freely during this tournament. You will hold 2000 Life Points. Players are strictly forbidden from attacking the opponent directly. Only one monster can attack per turn, and, if a monster is destroyed by an effect, then the controller loses Life Points equal to that monster's attack. Please use the strongest Card Deck you've brought with you while Dueling in this competition. Every Duelist received a Duel Glove in advance…"

Pegasus held a Duel Glove in his right hand, to show what he was talking about.

_'__I need one of those… And so does Jounouchi.'_

Pegasus: "…and two Star Chips."

He held up two Star Chips in his left hand. Yugi put on his Duel Glove.

Pegasus: "On the Glove's ring, there are ten holes in which you can keep your Star Chips. Please keep your Star Chips inside them."

Yugi had given Jounouchi one of his two Star Chips, therefore, he was only left with one on his Glove.

Pegasus: "Those Star Chips are proof of your status as a Duelist. Every Duelist will bet on these Star Chips while Dueling."

_'__This will make things really difficult for me… I don't think anyone would want to duel against someone who has no Star Chips. I'll have to think of something…'_

Pegasus: "This whole island is a battlefield for Dueling. The ones to survive this Battle Royal and obtain ten Star Chips will be permitted to pass through this door. You just have a 48 hour time limit to duel, and you start in one hour. When this time ends, anyone with less than ten Star Chips loses. Then, these people who lost will have to leave the island. Now then, my cherished Duelists, I wish you all the best of luck!"

After finishing with all his explanations, Pegasus turned around and disappeared in the castle.

"This sucks… How am I supposed to find anyone who's dumb enough to duel me when I don't have any Star Chips?"

Yugi: "You don't have to duel, I can duel for both of us."

"And what's the fun in that? I'm going for the finals, trust me."

Akia looked around, trying to find some easy prey. The others started following her, since there wasn't really anything better to do.

They got to a clearing where a bunch of people were gathered around.

"I wonder what all this commotion is about…"

Yugi: "Maybe it's not a good idea to get involved."

"Too late!"

Akia arrived at the scene where everyone was gathered. Jounouchi followed her closely.

"What the…"

In front of them, a tall guy, with a huge build, a shaved head, and a thick moustache was beating the living crap out of a much younger looking Duelist. What was even more upsetting was that no one was interfering!

"Hey! Big guy!"

Jounouchi: "Akia, you idiot!"

Jounouchi tried to hold Akia back, but she was already standing in between the aggressor and the victim, facing the aggressor.

"Hm? Little ladies like you shouldn't interfere with men's business. Get lost before you regret messing with Kungo the Great."

"Not until you give me a good reason why you're beating up that poor kid!"

Jounouchi came and stood next to Akia and started whispering to her.

Jounouchi: "…Akia I don't think it's a smart thing to do to get involved with him…"

Kungo: "Well, it's not really your place to know now, is it."

"How about we make a deal?"

Kungo raised his eyebrows, and Akia knew that she now had his attention.

Kungo: "It depends on the kind of deal you want to make."

"What I want is very simple. I want your Star Chips, and your Duel Glove."

Kungo: "What makes you think I will give them over to you."

"Well, of course I won't take them just like that. I'll challenge you to a Duel, and, if I win, I'll get the Duel Glove and the Star Chips."

Kungo: "What's in it for me?"

"If you win, I'll take that boy's place. You can do whatever you want with me."

Kungo's lips curled in a sadistic smile.

Kungo: "You don't know what you just got yourself into, girlie."

_'__He fell for it! Now I just need to make sure I win this.'_

Jounouchi: "You're insane! What if you lose?"

Akia turned to look at Jounouchi. She smirked.

"Don't underestimate me."

By that time, Yugi, Anzu, and Honda had joined them too.

Anzu: "Wait, Akia, you're going to duel that guy?"

Jounouchi: "That's not all… She made a pretty crazy deal with him. If she loses…"

Yugi: "She won't lose."

Jounouchi: "How come you're so laid back about this, Yugi? She's your sister!"

Yugi: "That's exactly why I'm so laid back about it. I know what she's capable of."

Akia and Kungo got into place, and a huge Duel arena started rising from the ground.

"Cool…"

Akia got on the platform, and so did Kungo.

_'__Alright, now I have to make sure he's going to keep his word.'_

Akia took out her millennium scale.

"So we have a deal?"

Kungo: "Of course. Now prepare to lose!"

_'__Since the millennium scale is now involved in this, whoever doesn't keep his part of the deal will have their soul eaten by Amit the demon, according to what I read about it, or maybe just get into a permanent coma… Let's hope it's not too bad.'_

Kungo: "Ready, girlie?"

"Duel!"

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**Thank you so much for sticking with this story, and reading it.**

**It really makes me happy to know that people like to read my stuff.**

**Thank you and please review! :D**


	16. First Duel

**Yes... It took me forever... again.**

**I'm in the middle of finals, but during summer I'll be able to update more often.**

**Also, I hope you enjoy the duel, I tried to keep into context with the old cards at that time that didn't have many effects.**

**It was hard... I'm so used to the new cards. XD**

**But yeah, this actually contains my personal deck strategies, because I wanted to write about something I knew well.**

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 16: First Duel

_'__This is it, Akia! Your first match in an actual tournament! I've got to make the most out of it! I'll take this guy down, and take his place in the tournament.'_

Kungo: "I think I will be starting off first."

"What happened to ladies first? Ever heard of that?"

Kungo: "You're the one who challenged me. I should at least be the one starting."

"Whatever makes you more comfortable... I'll be winning this anyway."

Kungo chuckled at what Akia said.

Kungo: "Keep dreaming, girlie. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be on your knees, begging for forgiveness."

Anzu looked worriedly at the situation.

Anzu: "Yugi, what if Akia loses?"

Yugi shook his head.

Yugi: "If anyone is guaranteed to win, it's her. You didn't see her deck and strategy skills."

Jounouchi: "She's plain crazy throwing herself like that at an unknown enemy!"

Kungo: "I draw! Prepare yourself… I summon The All-Seeing White Tiger (1300/500) in attack position. I put a face down and that ends my turn."

As soon as Kungo summoned his monster, its attack and defense went up to (1690/650).

"What the…?"

Kungo: "You didn't know? Look at the field! It's a forest type. This gives my monsters a power-up! Bet you didn't think of that when you challenged me."

"How'd you know that?"

Kungo: "How? Because I heard some people talking about it. You should've done your research, girlie."

_'__This makes thing a bit more complicated… Manageable, but complicated…'_

Jounouchi: "Oh no, she's screwed!"

Yugi: "Don't count her out just yet."

Kungo: "I end my turn. Show me what you got."

Akia took a deep breath, before reaching for her deck.

"I draw."

_'__Good! I drew The Banisher of Light (100/2000). This will be a good defense. It will also be perfect for the new card I got.'_

"I summon The Banisher of Light in defense mode. Now all the cards that would go to the graveyard will be removed from play instead. I will also set a card face down, and that will end my turn."

Kungo: "Heh, that's a pretty useless effect. It doesn't matter anyway, since I'll be getting rid of that puny monster right now!"

Kungo drew his card, and, without hesitation, summoned another monster.

Kungo: "I summon Battle Ox (1700/1000) in attack position! With the power-up (2210/1300) he'll be more than enough to take down your Banisher. Battle Ox, attack!"

Jounouchi: "Oh no! This is Akia's strongest defense!"

Akia smiled, and reached for her face down.

"Right where I wanted you… I activate my trap card! Sakuretsu Armour!"

Kungo: "What?! A trap?!"

"That's right. You underestimated me. Did you really think I'd risk losing my monster? You know what my trap does right? It destroys your monster and sends it to the graveyard, but, thanks to The Banisher of Light, there is no graveyard. Therefore, both your monster and my trap are removed from play! And guess what? You lose half of your monster's attack points, since it was destroyed by a card effect! That means 1105 Life Points are subtracted!"

Honda: "Akia just totally owned him! His life points are down to 895!"

Kungo: "Y-You… You just got lucky! I won't let it happen again, you can count on it!"

"It looks like it's going to be easier than what I expected."

Kungo: "Shut your mouth! I place a face down, and I end my turn. It doesn't matter anyway. You don't have any monsters strong enough to even scratch mine."

"That doesn't matter though, does it? I draw! I summon my Horn Imp (1300/1000) in defense position. I'll place a card face down, and I'll end my turn."

Kungo: "Hah! Wrong move, girlie! Did you think I'd let you pull the same move on me twice? I activate my trap card! Dust Tornado! This will destroy your face down card!"

Akia took her face down away and removed it from play.

Kungo: "That Negate Attack won't save you now. I summon Burglar (850/800)! With the power up, his stats go up (1105/1040)! Now, since the coast is clear, I will attack your Horn Imp with The All-Seeing White Tiger!"

Akia's Horn Imp got destroyed, without even standing a chance against Kungo's monster.

Kungo: "You're lucky it was in defense position, or I would've completely wiped out a good portion of your Life Points."

Jounouchi: "Oh no… She doesn't have any monsters strong enough… She's completely overpowered…"

Yugi: "When it comes to Akia, attack points are just a bonus. She prefers to use her opponent's strength against him."

"Are you done?"

Kungo: "Not yet. I place a face down, and end my turn."

"I draw! I put a card face down, and I use Card Destruction. This makes us both discard all of our hand to the graveyard, and draw the same amount of cards."

Akia discarded the two cards she was holding onto, and draws two cards. Kungo also discarded his hand, and drew the same number of cards he discarded. He smiled widely at what he drew.

Kungo: "Using that card just got you in big trouble, girlie."

"If you say so… I'm about to summon something beyond your imagination. Come forth, Gren Maju Da Eiza (?/?)!"

Jounouchi: "Wait what? Where are its attack and defense points?"

Yugi: "Man, she really wants to end it in one blow…"

Jounouchi: "What do you mean…?"

Yugi: "Look, its stats are going up."

Kungo: "Wait, what is this? What is that monster?"

"This is my new baby! Remember all these cards that were removed from play?"

Kungo: "Y-Yeah? What about them?"

"Well, my Gren Maju Da Eiza gains 400 attack and defense points for each of my cards that were removed from play. Do you remember how much that makes?"

Kungo: "…No way!"

Jounouchi: "Whaaaaat! That's crazy! There are like 10 of them!"

Yugi: "Six to be more exact."

"Six cards, indeed. That gives my Gren Maju Da Eiza 2400 attack and defense points! Now, let's get rid of that face down. I use the spell card from my hand, Mystical Space Typhoon."

Kungo: "Well, I'll just have to activate it, then! I activate my trap, Waboku! With this, I won't be taking any battle damage this turn."

After Akia sent her spell card to the graveyard, her monster gained an extra 400 points for its attack and defense.

Jounouchi: "Woah! Now it's 2800/2800!"

Kungo: "Heh, still not good enough, girlie. Prepare to lose your strongest monster! I summon Firewing Pegasus (2250/1800)."

Jounouchi: "But… That's not nearly strong enough…"

Yugi: "You forget there's the field bonus…"

Kungo: "Now it is strong enough (2925/2340) to get rid of your Gren Maju Da Eiza!"

"I use my trap card! Interdimensional Matter Transporter! This card allows me to choose one of my monsters and remove it from play until the end of this turn."

Kungo: "So what? You're going to save your Gren Maju Da Eiza for this turn?"

"Who said I'm using it on my Gren Maju Da Eiza? I'm using it on my Banisher of Light!"

Kungo: "W-What?"

"You know what that means, right? My Gren Maju Da Eiza gains an extra 400 attack and defense points, bringing them up to 3200! It's too late for your Firewing Pegasus!"

Kungo: "No way!"

Kungo's Firewing Pegasus went straight to the graveyard after losing against Akia's monster.

Anzu: "Alright! His Life Points are now down to 620!"

Kungo: "Ugh… I switch both my monsters to defense position… I end my turn."

"Trying to drag it on? It won't save you. Since your turn ended, my Banisher of Light returns back to its original position."

Kungo: "Sh-Shut up!"

"I draw. Well, this is nice. I place a monster in face down defense position. Also, I think I will attack your Burglar with my Gren Maju Da Eiza."

Akia's monster completely incinerated Kungo's Burglar.

"And that ends my turn."

Kungo growled, and set another monster in defense position.

Kungo: "I end my turn…"

"That's it? Alright then, I draw. I don't even need to do much, since I'll win with just one move. Remember my face down monster? Well, I'll flip summon it! Say hello to my Man-Eater Bug!"

Yugi: "Well, this duel is as good as over now."

"You know what its effect is?"

Kungo: "…"

"Well, it destroys one monster on the field, and you know what that means right? Your tiger is a goner, and so are your remaining Life Points."

Just as Akia said, as soon as Kungo's tiger got destroyed, his Life Points hit zero.

"I win! Now give me your Duel Glove, and your Star Chips."

Kungo: "No way… How could I lose?"

"Well you did, so own up to it."

Kungo: "I didn't agree to anything, I don't owe you anything! I'm outta here!"

Kungo got off the platform and started getting away.

"I knew that would happen…"

Akia's millennium scale started glowing, and Kungo stopped in his tracks. Right after, he fell down on the floor, completely still. Akia made her way to where he was, and took both his Duel Glove and his two Star Chips. She then went back to her friends.

Honda: "What the… That's weird. Why did he collapse?"

"Probably a sunstroke or something…"

Jounouchi: "Who cares? He had it coming! You were genius out there, Akia!"

"You think so…?"

Akia blushed inwardly at Jounouchi's comment. She was thrilled to be acknowledged by him.

Anzu: "That was incredible!"

Yugi: "Yeah, I knew you could do it."

"Thanks everyone. Now I have two Star Chips! Eight to go!"

Someone behind Yugi caught Akia's attention.

"Hey, isn't that Insector Haga?"

Everyone in the group turned around.

Jounouchi: "That bastard! I'll show him!"

Insector Haga then started running away.

Jounouchi: "After him!"

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun! Wait up!"

They all started running after Insector Haga, who soon stopped running.

Insector Haga: "Yugi, I challenge you to a duel!"

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**Yeah, so it's pretty obvious what the next chapter will be about.**

**Since most people who read this are Yu-Gi-Oh! fans, I won't be writing down the WHOLE duel between Yugi and Haga, so that I put more content about other stuff.**

**Thank you for reading, and please review :)**


	17. Confusion

**I know this took me forever... So sorry about that!**

**I just recently got myself a new job, so I haven't had any time to write. I actually had to download an app on my phone so that I could write during my breaks.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and the next chapter is really going to end the search for Star Chips. I don't want to drag it any longer than that.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 17: Confusion

As the group was running to catch up to Insector Haga, Akia noticed Bakura standing behind a tree, observing them. Akia started slowing down her pace. The others didn't notice, since their attention was focused way too much on chasing Haga. Akia was starting to seriously question Bakura's motives. Was he following them the whole time? That was something that Akia deemed highly probable.

_'__Bakura… What do you really want? I need to get to the bottom of this.'_

Akia then went to where Bakura was hiding. He saw her coming, and made no attempt to get away. He actually looked at her, and waited for her to reach him. Even though he would never admit it, he enjoyed being around her. She made him feel… good.

As soon as Akia reached him, she looked him straight in the eyes.

"Why are you following us?"

Bakura: "I have my reasons."

"What reasons? Why did you even go through all the trouble to get here?"

Bakura: "I don't feel like telling you now."

Akia clenched her fists in frustration. Upon noticing that, Bakura chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

Bakura: "Nothing. I just find your reactions… amusing."

Akia blushed out of embarrassment. She tried to calm herself down. She knew that she wouldn't get any answers out of Bakura. At least, not out of this Bakura… Did Ryou even know what the spirit of the ring wanted?

"Whatever… I'm going back to Yugi."

Akia turned around and started walking away.

Bakura: "Leaving so soon?"

Akia stopped right in her tracks. What was Bakura implying? Did he want her to stay? That was ridiculous. Why would he even care? The spirit of the ring was just pure evil. He wouldn't care for another human being.

"Yeah, why does it matter to you?"

Bakura: "There's something… about you. Something that I want to figure out."

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

He kept mentioning that he felt something strange about Akia. She was also feeling something around him… As if they met before, long ago. She just brushed the feeling, however. She didn't want to get involved with the spirit of the ring. She turned away again, and started leaving. Bakura wouldn't have it, though. He went after her and grabbed her wrist before she could get any further. He grabbed it with so much force that she yelped a little.

"Ow! Let go!"

Bakura: "Stop struggling, and maybe I will."

Akia calmed down, knowing very well that she could never overpower him. Bakura loosened his grip a little. He then moved Akia's face with his other hand, so that he could look into her eyes. Akia started blushing uncontrollably at the sudden contact. They stayed like that for a while, and Bakura finally let her go. He looked away, puzzled at the whole situation. He felt strange. He thought that maybe he felt something hostile towards her, like a threat from the fact that she possessed a millennium item, but it wasn't like that… The feelings he felt around her were comforting. He wanted her to be there, around him, all the time. He felt almost… happy when he had any kind of contact with her.

Akia also felt confused over the whole situation. The spirit of the ring is evil… pure evil! However, she wasn't afraid of him. If he really only had evil intentions, he would've seized any opportunity he had to take her millennium scale.

"…I'm going back to Yugi and the others."

_'__That's right, I shouldn't let Bakura distract me from both my and Yugi's objective here. We need to get the Star Chips so that we are able to go rescue granpa.'_

Akia then darted away from Bakura, in the direction where she believed Yugi and the others chased Insector Haga.

By the time she made it, Yugi had just won. She also noticed that, out of the spectators, Kujaku Mai was there.

_'__Why is she there, of all people…'_

Akia didn't really like her. She didn't even know why. Was it because Jounouchi was physically attracted to her? Maybe. She just didn't like her.

It looked like she was in some kind of disbelief that Yugi was able to beat Insector Haga.

"Yugi!"

Akia ran over to him, smiling at his victory. She then stopped a bit in her tracks, realizing that it wasn't exactly Yugi who was in front of her. She was used to the spirit of the puzzle, but she sometimes didn't really know what to call him. Calling him Yugi felt a bit weird to her.

Jounouchi: "Akia! Where the heck did you disappear to?"

"Who cares? Yugi won! Let's celebrate!"

Yugi then headed down from the platform, and so did Haga.

Insector Haga's legs gave way, and he kneeled in defeat.

Insector Haga: "This isn't possible!"

Yugi: "I can't believe the Regional Champion of Japan was the first to lose his Star Chips in this tournament."

_'__Yeah… He's way too cool to be Yugi. What am I supposed to call him then? Spirit of the puzzle?'_

Yugi, or more like the spirit of the millennium puzzle, grinned almost evilly. He then started throwing and catching two Star Chips in his hand playfully.

Yugi: "It's the rules. I will take your two Star Chips!"

Jounouchi then came in and shouted at Haga.

Jounouchi: "Now get the hell off this island, you cowardly bastard!"

He then took Haga's glove from him.

Jounouchi: "I'll take this glove off your hands."

"Now what?"

Yugi looked at his glove. He still wasn't back to the real Yugi.

Yugi: "Now I have three Star Chips."

"Aw… You beat me by one!"

Yugi: "I need seven more, and you need eight."

Jounouchi: "And I need nine…"

I grinned at Jounouchi.

"You'll get your chance to shine. I can't wait to see how much you've improved."

Akia then looked around and noticed that Mai was no longer around. She let out a sigh of relief.

Jounouchi: "Hehe! I'll show just how good I've become!"

The spirit of the puzzle then receded, and the real Yugi took his place. It looked like only Akia who noticed that change.

Yugi: "Well guys, let's not waste any more time then."

They all then set off, in search of new opponents.

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**Thanks for sticking with the story for so long! I know this chapter was pretty short. I'll try to make the next one longer!**

**Please review :D**


	18. Star Chip Hunt

**Longest chapter I have ever written! This took me forever! I hope it makes up for the long wait, if any of you were actually waiting XD**

**I just wanted to get the hunt for Star Chips over with, at least for Akia, but I didn't realize just how much was left in that arc...**

**Anyway, I hope you don't get bored in the middle of this, because it's quite long.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 18: Star Chip Hunt

"Jounouchi, just choose an opponent already!"

Jounouchi: "No! I don't want to go for any shrimp out there! I want a real challenge! Something up to my level of skills!"

Anzu: "Guys, you've been arguing for over an hour already, we could've done much more productive things in that time…"

Akia had been pestering Jounouchi to just pick whoever was in front of him. His problem was that he was too proud to just take on some unknown Duelist. He wanted to go against someone who he felt was good enough to match. Akia on the other hand, thought he should just go pick someone his own size, and not aim too big.

Yugi: "Just make sure to stay in the Meadow area, since your monsters are mostly warriors and beasts."

Jounouchi: "Yeah, got it, Yugi."

"Come on! Gimme your Star Chips and get lost!"

Anzu: "That loud voice is…"

A voice that was highly annoying to Akia was heard nearby. The crew's attention was brought towards the noise, and, surely enough, it belonged to Kujaku Mai.

Anzu: "…Kujaku Mai!"

She was laughing obnoxiously at how she defeated a Duelist and took all of his Star Chips. The Duelist looked pretty confused and angry.

"Tell me! How did you know what your set cards were without seeing them?!"

Mai: "That is… a secret."

Mai winked at him while saying that sentence.

_'__That woman just can't stop flirting, can she…'_

To be completely honest, though, Akia was actually a bit jealous of Mai's innate self-confidence that just seemed to overshadow everyone else's. Kujaku Mai then loudly laughed.

Mai: "Haha! I'm getting so close to the prize!"

She then stopped, realizing that Yugi and the others were watching her.

Jounouchi: "That woman already has four Star Chips!"

"I could've done better…"

Kujaku Mai then directed her whole attention to Yugi.

Mai: "Yugi-chan! How are the duels going?"

_'__Y-Yugi-chan?'_

Akia gagged inwardly at that. So now Mai was trying to flirt with her twin brother? That was just weird.

Yugi: "N-Not bad."

Akia took a glance at Anzu, and her whole face expression told her everything. Anzu was pissed. Very pissed. She didn't like that such an attractive woman was flirting with the guy that she had feelings for, even though she didn't always admit she did have feelings for Yugi. Mai then took her flirting a step further, and took Yugi's hand in hers, using it as an excuse to see his Star Chips.

Mai: "So you have three Star Chips, Yugi-chan?! Maybe we should duel?"

Anzu looked downright on the verge of murdering Mai. Akia felt a little uncomfortable as well, having someone like Mai flirt with her brother. She knew that Mai was doing all this only to get Yugi's Star Chips in the end.

Anzu: "Yugi, beat this woman to a pulp."

Even Yugi was surprised by Anzu's tone of voice. Anzu was usually a very nice person. Hearing her say something like that threw everyone off.

Mai: "Okay, I decided who I should challenge to a duel now. My opponent will be…"

She then pointed at someone that nobody even thought she would point at.

Mai: "Jounouchi-kun!"

Jounouchi: "'Scuse me?! Huh? me?"

He wasn't the only one who was surprised.

Mai: "Are you going to run away, boy?"

Jounouchi: "Hah… I was hoping you'd ask!"

"What? Why Jounouchi?"

Mai: "I have my reasons, kid."

"I'm not a kid!"

Mai: "Don't get me wrong. As a Duelist, it's only natural that I would want to fight Yugi-chan. But if I lose all my Star Chips, it's all over for me, right? I'll start by Dueling against opponents who look weak to earn Star Chips. Then, I will fight Yugi-chan after that."

"Well, that is smart."

Jounouchi: "How can you say that to someone who was in the Best Eight?"

Anzu: "In the Local Championship Preliminaries…"

Jounouchi's shoulders then slumped at Anzu's remark.

Anzu: "You can't win against this woman! You understand don't you? If you lose once it's all over."

Anzu then looked at Yugi.

Anzu: "Yugi, accept the challenge instead of Jounouchi."

Jounouchi and Mai were already having a staring contest. It didn't seem like Jounouchi would just back out of this one.

"I think we should just let those two duel. Jounouchi looks dead serious about this."

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun, you just got to do it!"

With both Akia and Yugi's encouragement, Jounouchi's smile returned.

Jounouchi: "I knew you guys wouldn't let me back down from this."

Anzu: "Yugi! Akia!"

Honda: "Jounouchi? Are you serious?"

Jounouchi: "I'm dead serious! If I run away from this, I'll regret it for the rest of my life! I'd remember you guys standing strong, and how I ran away like a coward."

Honda then looked down.

Honda: "I see… I get it. Sorry, Jounouchi."

Anzu: "But you better win, if you're going to do this!"

"Alright, Jounouchi, let's have a competition. You take on Mai over here, and I'll look for an opponent elsewhere. The one who beats their opponent first, wins."

Jounouchi: "What's the prize?"

"Nothing, just the satisfaction of beating the other person."

Jounouchi: "You're on!"

Yugi: "Akia, you're going by yourself?"

"Yeah, there's no time to waste, Yugi. Jounouchi needs you to be there for him, so in the meantime, I'll get some Star Chips to get to our goal faster."

Yugi nodded at Akia's decision. The faster one of them got ten Star Chips, the faster they'd get to Pegasus' Castle.

"Alright… Who should I take on next?"

Akia started wondering around, thinking of what her next move should be. She started thinking of the Field bonuses around. The only problem was that her deck was kind of all over the place. It didn't really focus on one kind or type of monsters. In fact, her deck didn't depend that much on the monsters themselves as much as it was their effects that made them interesting to her. She already had a strategy that was starting to form in the construction of her deck. She just needed to find other cards that supported that strategy. However, she would have to do that after the end of this tournament.

As she was walking, Akia noticed two girls huddled around some guy. He looked like the handsome player kind of guy. Silver hair, charming blue eyes, and a perfect physique…

Akia got a bit closer, out curiosity. She then started overhearing their conversation.

"Oh, Seiji-sama! That's awful!"

"And your mom won't be able to get better without the prize money… What can we do to help you?"

Seiji: "Oh girls, I wouldn't want to ask too much of you… I would be such a horrible person to make you feel obliged to help me!"

_'__It's like I'm watching a soap opera or something… It's so obvious that guy's acting. Don't tell me those two girls are actually falling for it…'_

"Oh please! Just tell us! We'll do anything!"

Seiji: "Well, as you know, only those who have collected ten Star Chips will have a chance of winning the prize money and… So far, I only have the two I started with."

"You want mine? I'll give you both of mine!"

"Mine too, I'll give both of them to you, Seiji-sama!"

_'__Are they dumb or dumb? He's playing them so hard right now… Wait, why do I even care?'_

Seiji then directed his attention towards Akia, who was there, listening and watching them. She realised how obvious she was.

Seiji: "Why hello, beautiful lady."

"Don't even try the crap you're doing to these girls. It won't work on me."

Seiji looked surprisingly and horrifyingly at Akia.

Seiji: "What are you…?"

"How dare you say that to Seiji-sama!"

Akia sighed.

"Whatever, I'm out of here."

"No way! This won't go unpunished!"

One of the girls, the tougher looking one with long red hair, stepped in front of Akia, blocking her way.

"You show her, Erika-chan!"

Erika: "Seiji-sama needs six Star Chips to proceed to the castle. However, if both Tori-chan and me give him our Star Chips, he'll still be two short."

"What are you implying…"

Erika: "Isn't it obvious? You're going to give him your Star Chips as well!"

"Who said I'd ever do that!"

Erika: "Of course, since you won't just quietly give them to him, I'll defeat and shame you in a duel to show you just how outclassed you are!"

"What's in it for me?"

Erika: "What do you mean?"

"What if I win?"

Erika then burst in laughter.

Erika: "That's a good one! As if you'd ever win against me. I was in the top ten in the National Championship! Tell you what, if you do win, you'll get all six of our Star Chips. If I win, Seiji-sama will get all six. Does that sound good enough for you?"

"Isn't this way too advantageous for me?"

Erika: "The bigger the reward, the worse you'll feel when you realize you can never reach it."

Seiji: "H-Hey, you girls don't have to do this. It's alright, let's just forget about everything and…"

Tori: "Don't worry, Seiji-sama. Erika's deck is amazing."

Akia, thinking about what she had to gain from this duel, smiled internally.

"Alright, I accept your challenge."

"I see you aren't wasting your time around here, Akia."

Akia turned around at where the voice came from. It was Bakura, still possessed by the spirit of the ring.

"Were you following me? Aren't you more interested in what Yugi's doing?"

Bakura: "I don't think there's really any time to talk right now."

Erika: "Yeah, quit your blabbering and let's duel!"

A Dueling platform then came out of the floor. Both Erika and Akia take their respective places, after Erika gathered all the Star Chips that were part of her side of the bargain. When the platforms went up to their places, Akia noticed that the field was completely covered in trees. It was all the Forest Field type. It was advantageous to insects, plants, beasts, and beast-warriors. Either Erika didn't notice what kind of field they were going to duel in, or she was actually smart enough to plan having a duel in a forest field to have the field bonus for her monsters.

Erika: "Oh my! A Forest Field! I hope your monsters don't mind all the greenery."

"You planned this, didn't you."

Erika: "You flatter me. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But who cares? Let's just get this duel over with. I draw!"

"So you already decided that you're going first? Fine by me."

Erika: "The outcome will still be the same, either way. Get a load of this little baby! I summon Abyss Flower (750/400) in attack mode. I guess you were right, I did plan to have the duel in the forest area. My monster gets a 30% power up for both its attack and defense!."

The attack and defense of Abyss Flower kept going up until it was (975/520). Erika giggled at the power up and continued with her turn.

Erika: "So now I'll put two cards facedown and I'll end my turn at that."

"Now it's my turn. I draw."

_'__Perfect, Ryu Kishin (1000/500) should be able to take care of that flower. The only things I'm concerned about are her facedown cards. Considering how low her Abyss Flower's attack is, I bet she has one of the traps as a backup plan. Right now, I have nothing in my hand that can take care of that trap. I'll just have to go for it this time.'_

"I summon Ryu Kishin, in attack mode. I'll have it attack your Abyss Flower!"

Erika chuckled and grinned widely.

Erika: "You're already falling for it! I activate my trap, Plant Food Chain! And guess what it does? It's an equip trap card that gives a 500 attack point boost to a plant monster. Of course, I choose Abyss Flower. So now its attack is more than enough to take care of your Ryu Kishin."

"1475 attack points… That's going to hurt."

_'__And now her Abyss Flower is stronger… Got to get rid of that equip card.'_

The Abyss Flower gobbled down Ryu Kishin, giving Akia a 475 point damage, bringing them down to 1525.

Erika: "And that's not all, I'm going to use my other trap card, Blossom Bombardment! And guess what it does? When one of my plant monsters attacks and destroys one of your monsters, sending them to the graveyard, you lose life points equal to the attack of the destroyed monster! Since your Ryu Kishin had 1000 attack point, that brings your life points all the way down to 525! Almost there, aren't we?"

Tori: "You go get her, Erika-chan!"

_'__Well… I guess she wasn't in the top ten for nothing. She is way better than I expected, that's for sure. I need to be way more careful from now on. I barely have any life points left.'_

Akia looked over to Bakura, who was watching the duel, standing a little apart from Erika's supporters. She noticed that he was actually frowning a bit.

_'__Alright, this'll have to come down to luck now, since I don't have any monsters on the field.'_

Erika: "Are you done your pathetic turn yet?"

"Almost. I activate Arduous Choice! This card allows me to pick up the top two cards of my deck, and have you choose between the two. If the card you choose is a monster card, I get to special summon. If it isn't, both cards go straight to the graveyard."

Erika: "Humph! Not like there's anything that can help you."

"So it shouldn't annoy you so much…"

Erika: "Just get it over with!"

"Alright, alright!"

Akia picked the top two cards from her deck. She took a good look at them before looking back at her opponent, keeping a blank face to not give away which was the card she really wanted to be picked.

_'__Alright! Banisher of the Light is one of them! The other one is Big Burn, a trap card. As long as she doesn't pick that one, I should be safe.'_

Erika: "So I just need to pick?"

"That's right. Which one do you want to pick?"

Erika hesitated for a while. It was unthinkable that one card would be able to turn the whole thing in Akia's favour. She kept telling herself that, but she was still a bit scared that it might actually turn the whole duel around.

Erika: "I'll… I'll pick…"

"Why are you hesitating so much? Are you actually getting scared?"

Erika: "You wish! I'll pick the left card."

"You're sure about that?"

Erika: "Y-Yeah! The left one!"

"Alright, left card it is."

_'__Lucky!'_

"You made a great choice, Erika-chan"

Erika frowned at Akia's mocking tone. Akia then summoned her Banisher of the Light (100/2000) in defense position. Erika's eyes widened a bit.

Erika: "H-Hah…! So what? You have something to defend yourself for a bit. It won't change the outcome."

"We'll just see about that then, won't we. And, oh, by the way, Banisher of the Light's special ability makes that any card that is supposed to go to the graveyard, is removed from play instead."

Erika: "…Are you done?"

"My turn, you mean? Not yet, actually. I still have one more card to activate from my hand."

Akia took one of her spells and showed it to her opponent.

"Next, I'll activate Soul Release. With it, I can remove from play up to five cards in the graveyard. I'll remove my Ryu Kishin, Arduous Decision, and your Blossom Bombardment. This way, both our graveyards will be completely clean of any cards."

_'__Of course, the cards that are removed from play on my side will help power up my Gren Maju Da Eiza.'_

Erika: "What a useless move…"

"Anyway, I'll put one card face down and I'll end my turn at that."

Erika: "About time. I draw!"

Erika smiled at the card she drew.

Erika: "Until I get a card to get rid of your pesky little monster, I'll just keep summoning more and more monsters! Say hello to Botanical Girl (1300/1100)! And of course, she gets the 30% field bonus for being a plant type card, so it goes up to (1690/1430)."

_'__More plants, huh… Let's hope I get something soon before she wipes out my defense.'_

Erika: "I guess I'll just end my turn with that. Let's see how you'll struggle through this one."

"Alright, I draw!"

_'__Card Destruction… This'll force both of us to discard all of the cards in our hand to the graveyard. Which means they will be removed from play instead, because of my Banisher of the Light. Looking at the situation right now, I only have the Banisher of the Light on my side of the field. No face-down cards. Erika has two monsters in attack position. No face-down cards on her side either. I have four cards in my hand, including the one I just drew, and she has three cards. My Life Points are all the way down to 525. Hers are still all there. I'll have to be extremely careful with my next moves. I believe I have three cards on my side that are removed from play. If I use Card Destruction… I just hope I'll draw the right cards after.'_

"I'll use Card Destruction. This forces both of us to discard the cards in our hand to the graveyard. Of course, that means that they will be removed from play. We then both draw the same number of cards that we discarded."

Erika: "Tch… None of the cards I had in my hand were that important anyway."

"If you say so…"

They both drew three cards from their deck. Akia drew Hand Destruction, Ryu-Kishin Powered (1600/1200), and Sakuretsu Armour.

_'__I could either go safe, and put Sakuretsu Armour face-down, which will destroy one attacking monster. But then, she might get a card that will still get rid of my Banisher of the Light. The other option would be to use Hand Destruction which will force both of us to discard two of the cards we have in our hands, then draw two more cards. This could open up a chance for me… A very big chance…'_

Erika: "Are you done just staring blankly at your hand, some of us here have more important things to do than to wait around for you."

"No one asked you to wait, you could just walk away if you wanted."

Erika: "And lose to a loser like you? No way!"

_'__Idiot…'_

Akia then unconsciously directed her gaze towards where she last saw Bakura, maybe slightly hoping that he was still there. Sure enough, he still was there, staring at her, as if trying to silently give her support. She felt somehow reassured with him being there. She knew that she would be able to pull through this, and he seemed convinced of it too. She closed her eyes in determination. She knew what she had to do. She reopened her eyes, and smirked at her opponent.

Erika: "Have you gone crazy or something, or are you happy that you're about to lose this?"

"On the contrary, I've already won this."

Erika: "Yeah, you're definitely crazy."

"I use Hand Destruction from my hand. Both of us will now have to discard two of our cards and draw two more from our deck."

Erika: "Another one of those? Aren't you tired of pulling the same useless moves?"

Akia ignored her and proceeded to discarding the cards in her hand. As soon as she drew the two top cards from her deck, her eyes widened. That was it. The last move. She had the card she was waiting for.

_ '__Gren Maju Da Eiza… You finally made your appearance.'_

"This is it."

Erika: "Finally giving up?"

"Giving up now? I'd be stupid if I did that. I meant to say: this is it for you."

Erika: "Huh?"

Erika looked a bit shaken by Akia's certain tone of voice.

"Ready? I summon, Gren Maju Da Eiza (?/?)!"

Erika: "What is that? It has no Attack or Defense power? Are you kidding me?"

"Remember my Banisher of the Light?"

Erika: "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Remember its special ability?"

Erika: "Will you get to the damn point?"

"Well, my Gren Maju Da Eiza gain 400 Attack and Defense points for each of my cards that are removed from play."

Erika's face then turned to a paler shade.

"Do you know how many of my cards were removed from play up until now?"

Erika couldn't even answer, and she just watched as Akia's monster's Attack and Defense started going up.

"That's right! I believe there are ten of them! Which means, my Gren Maju Da Eiza now has 4000 Attack and Defense points!"

Tori: "Oh no! Erika-chan!"

Seiji: "I knew this was a bad idea."

Akia's Gren Maju Da Eiza growled menacingly.

"I guess you know what's next, right? I attack your monsters with my Gren Maju Da Eiza. Let the fire burn all of your plants!"

At Akia's cue, Gren Maju Da Eiza breathed out fire, scorching everything in its way, including Erika's Life Points, which reached 0 in one attack.

"That's what you get for underestimating me."

Erika just stood there in disbelief. The platforms they were standing on went down, and Akia grabbed her Star Chips, as well as those that Erika bided, and left the three people in shock. She now had a total of eight Star Chips. Bakura then followed her.

Bakura: "I must say, that was impressive."

"Wasn't it…?! I mean… why are you following me?"

Bakura: "You interest me."

Akia blushed uncontrollably at what Bakura said.

_'__Wha-What does he mean by that! Like… maybe… romant… NO! What am I thinking?! This is the Spirit of the Ring we're talking to here! He probably doesn't even know what feelings are! Other than the negative ones that is… He's just interested in my millennium scale anyway. Where do I even get those weird ideas…"_

"A-Anyway, I just need two more Star Chips. I better go find Yugi and the others to tell them about it."

Bakura: "On your own? You won't find them."

"Do you mean to tell me that you have some kind of Yugi sensor or something?"

Bakura: "Something like that. But not for Yugi. For millennium items."

Bakura then held up his millennium ring to a confused Akia.

Bakura: "This, here, will tell us exactly where to go."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Bakura: "I don't know, I usually don't do anything for free."

"…What do you mean?"

Bakura looked at her and smirked.

Bakura: "I mean, that I want you to do something for me, or at least, to answer a few questions."

"Fine… I'll do what I can."

Bakura: "Glad to hear it. Let's first find a comfortable place to have a private conversation."

"It's not like it's crowded around here… there barely anyone."

Bakura ignored Akia's mumbling and proceeded to search for a place where they can sit and talk.

After an hour of walking around or so, Bakura finally found a place, deep in the forest, next to a small stream of water. He then sat down on one of the larger rocks around, and motioned for Akia to go sit next to him. She did as she was told, and a moment of silence went by as she noticed how close she was to Bakura. She felt a little knot in her stomach. Very similar to the one she felt around Jounouchi.

"U-Um… So what did you want to talk about?"

Bakura remained silent, looking blankly in front of him. He seemed to be in deep thought. Akia decided to wait for him to get things sorted out.

Bakura: "Who are you?"

"Huh…?"

Akia had prepared herself for anything, even a love confession. But she did not expect this question.

Bakura: "You heard me."

"I did hear you, but I'm a bit confused by your question. Did you hit your head or something?"

Bakura grimaced. She didn't get it. She didn't get what he meant. Heck, he didn't even know what he was asking or what he was expecting her to answer. He knew who she was, but didn't at the same time.

Akia saw that he looked really troubled. She wanted to help, but she didn't know how.

"Well… I'm Mutou Akia. My brother is Mutou Yugi. I live with my mom and granpa. My granpa owns a game shop. My dad is always on excursions; he's an archaeologist. I rarely see him. He got his passion from granpa, who also went on many excursions before. Now he can't, though, because of his back. The last excursion he went to was the one he took me to…"

Bakura: "He took you somewhere? Isn't that dangerous?"

_'__He's actually interested in what I have to say? I thought he'd just say that I was an idiot for answering so blandly, and that it wasn't what he wanted to hear.'_

"Well, we went prepared. It wasn't his first time going on excursions. He's an expert when it comes to travelling and stuff…"

Bakura just looked at her from the corner of his eyes. He was listening to her, interested in what she had to say. What she said was of no use to him, but he still listened.

"When we got there, a lot of strange things happened to me. We set camp among some of my grandpa's old friends. Since it was getting kind of boring, I decided to run off somewhere, promising grandpa that I wouldn't wander off too far."

Bakura: "You still did, didn't you…"

Akia smiled mischievously at Bakura's comment.

"Well, I was just a kid, so I just ended up walking off somewhere. Then… I met someone called Shadi."

Akia paused for a bit. She was debating whether to tell Bakura the next details about the millennium items.

Bakura: "What happened after?"

She noticed that he just genuinely wanted to know the rest of what she had to say.

_'__Besides… What the worst that could happen if I told him about it? Maybe it might even help him find out what more about me and why he feels weird around me.'_

"Well, Shadi had two millennium items with him."

Bakura's gaze lit up, and he started paying even more attention to Akia's words. Akia didn't notice the change, and kept going.

"He came towards me, and told me his name after I asked him who he was. He then took his millennium item, which looked like an Ankh, and put it on my forehead. He then turned it. And then… I don't remember much… just a dark room… red eyes… Oh yeah! The Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Bakura looked at her with confused eyes.

Bakura: "He gave you a Duel Monster card?"

"No, no, I saw the Red Eyes Black Dragon inside of my soul. He called it my soul chamber."

Bakura: "Strange…"

"I know, right? And the Red Eyes Black Dragon is a Duel Monster card?"

Bakura: "It is one of the most powerful dragon cards out there."

"I want to see it…"

Bakura: "Good luck with that, it's pretty rare. Anyway, what happened next?"

"Oh! Yeah, then he said something about a past life. He said that I was apparently very important in my past life."

Bakura completely shifted position towards her, grabbing her by the shoulders. That was very close to what he was feeling. He thought that maybe that past life involved him too, and that that was probably why he felt strange about her.

Bakura: "A past life? What else did he say about that?"

Akia looked at him with a flustered look.

"H-He didn't say anything else. He said that I'll find out in the future…"

Bakura then let go of Akia with a sigh.

Bakura: "I thought it wouldn't be that easy… Go on. I'm actually interested in what happened after."

"Alright, so he then gave me the millennium scale. After that, he just took off, but I was getting way too confused about everything so I decided to follow him. I followed him until he reached the city, and found him talking to a boy and a girl."

Akia paused yet again, remembering the boy's face, and how she felt at the moment when she saw him. She still hoped that she would see him again someday.

_'__And there I thought that I completely got over the fact that I met him. He still feels very important to me. It just doesn't make sense, and it's kind of annoying that I'm still holding onto such a distant memory. I'll probably never see him again, so I should just get over him.'_

Bakura: "Akia?"

Bakura's voice snapped Akia out of her thoughts.

"Sorry… So, as I was saying, I followed Shadi and found him talking to a boy and a girl. Then… well… I felt really strongly about that boy. He told me his name."

Bakura's eyes narrowed. For some reason, he didn't like how she talked about that boy.

Bakura: "What's his name?"

"…Marik."

Bakura felt a bit annoyed. Whoever this Marik was, he seemed to mean a lot to Akia. Bakura could hear it in her voice.

"Hey, the sun is starting to set. Shouldn't we go find Yugi and the others?

Bakura: "I guess. Let's say you still owe me one."

"Alright, I'll try to make it up to you in the future."

They both got up and Bakura held his millennium ring in front of him. He started following the direction where his item was pointing at. Akia just quietly followed him.

After having walked for a few minutes, Bakura stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong? Why'd you stop?"

Bakura: "Just go in that direction and you'll find them."

"You're not coming with me?"

Bakura: "Not for now, I'll catch up to you later."

"Alright…"

Akia then went to where Bakura told her to go. When she reached her friends, she found that there was quite a scene. There, in front of her, was Yugi, Anzu, and Honda. Mai was also there. They were looking up to where a dueling platform was spawned. There, stood Jounouchi, who was dueling Dinosaur Ryuuzaki. Jounouchi had two monsters that Akia recognized as the Barbarians. Jounouchi had just defeated one of Dinosaur Ryuuzaki's monsters.

Yugi: "The two Barbarians powered each other up! Now there's a great chance!"

Honda: "Go, Jounouchi! Show that Dinosaur bastard the power of our friendship!"

"Hey guys, did I miss anything?"

Yugi then turned to Akia as soon as he heard her.

Yugi: "Akia! You're here! Where were you?"

"Oh, just duelled here and there. Well actually, I just duelled once. But I did get eight Star Chips out of that."

Yugi's mouth went agape.

Yugi: "That's great! Only two left for you to get to the castle!"

"Yup! So anyway, anything important happened while I was away?"

Yugi: "Well, a lot actually, I'll fill you in after the Duel."

Their attention then turned back to the Duel.

Dinosaur Ryuuzaki: "Power of friendship was it? Bullshit! My ultimate card is still in my deck."

He then drew the top card of his deck, and grinned at what he drew.

Dinosaur Ryuuzaki: "Alright! Here it is! My ultimate card!"

He then set a monster card in attack position.

Dinosaur Ryuuzaki: "Show yourself, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

At the mention of the monster's name, Akia froze in shock. Not only Akia, but even Mai exclaimed in surprise.

Mai: "Red-Eyes…?!"

"Red-Eyes… Yugi… That monster is the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, isn't it?"

Yugi: "Yeah… That's one rare card."

"Remember what I told you about my trip with grandpa?"

Yugi's eyes widened in realization, since he remembered what his sister had told him before.

Yugi: "That was the same monster you saw…"

"That's right. Why does someone like Dinosaur Ryuuzaki have this anyway?"

Yugi: "That's not the issue right now…"

"What do you…?"

Akia then directed her gaze back towards the duel. A majestic black dragon stood on Ryuuzaki's side of the field. It was exactly the same one that Akia had encountered when she was younger. Dinosaur Ryuuzaki looked all smug, since he just pulled out his trump card.

Ryuuzaki: "It's very rare for someone to see this card. So, even if you lose, you can still feel honoured."

Yugi: "It's the first time I've seen it... Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000)! This one, just like the Blue-Eyes, is a legendary card."

Mai: "Ryuuzaki has a card like this?"

Ryuuzaki: "I have traded almost all my cards for this super-rare card. I use the spell card, Dark Dragon Clan Claws and give it a power up!"

The attack of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon then went up 500 points, giving it a total of 3000 attack points.

Ryuuzaki: "Go, Red-Eyes! Dark Flame Bullet!"

The Red-Eyes then attacked Jounouchi's Barbarians, completely annihilating them.

Jounouchi: "Mine and Honda's Barbarians!"

Ryuuzaki: "The strength of your friendship is so small."

Honda: "Damn it!"

"This is getting out of hand… Jounouchi's Life Points are down to 235!"

Kujaku Mai smirked.

Mai: "So you can do it when you want, servant!"

Akia looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Huh…? Servant? Ryuuzaki?"

_'__I'm definitely missing something here.'_

Yugi: "I'll tell you later…"

Ryuuzaki: "Now then, Jounouchi… It's your turn!"

"Jounouchi…"

He looked like he was about to give up. It was a very difficult situation, and he knew it better than anyone. He closed his eyes in defeat.

Jounouchi: "Is this the end?"

Honda: "Jounouchi!"

Anzu then went down to Yugi and Akia's level.

Anzu: "Guys… Is there any way for Jounouchi to win? If this keeps up, he will lose…"

"There is one…"

Yugi: "Don't say anything, Akia. I promised Jounouchi I wouldn't give him any advice on this one. I'm sure if he saw you before the duel, he would've told you that too."

"Why doesn't he want any advice?"

Yugi: "He wants to prove himself, to show everyone that he can win on his own, that he's a true Duelist."

"Well, as long as he plays the right cards, he can win it for sure."

Ryuuzaki: "Jounouchi! An amateur like beating me is impossible!"

Honda: "Jounouchi, don't give up!"

Honda seemed to snap Jounouchi out of it.

Honda: "It's not like you to give up!"

Yugi: "That's right, Jounouchi-kun!"

Anzu: "Go for it, there must be a way!"

Honda: "Believe in yourself, Jounouchi!"

"Keep going until the end, Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi: "Akia! You're here!"

Jounouchi just seemed to notice now that Akia was back. His face lit up a bit at all the encouragements.

"Now show me what you got!"

Jounouchi nodded in determination and looked back at his opponent. He then drew the top card of his deck, and looked at it, surprised at what card it was. Ryuuzaki chuckled, not noticing Jounouchi's change of behaviour.

Ryuuzaki: "Jounouchi! There's no way for you to defeat me…"

Mai: "Now, servant! Finish him off quickly!"

"Man, she's noisy…"

Mai kept yelling at Ryuuzaki to hurry up and win the duel. He then seemed to realize something.

Ryuuzaki: "Jounouchi! In this duel, what do you think about the winner getting one of the opponent's rare cards?"

_'__Wait! That means… Red-Eyes!'_

Ryuuzaki: "If I win, I'll get your Time Magician… Okay?"

Jounouchi: "Time Magician?"

Ryuuzaki: "On the other hand, if I lose, I'll give you the Red-Eyes card."

_'__Jounouchi has to win! I'd feel much better if he's the one who has the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.'_

Mai: "Hey! What are you doing? Don't joke around! Ryuuzaki! I don't agree with this kind of condition!"

Ryuuzaki: "Heh! Shut up!"

Mai: "As my servant, you have to obey my orders!"

"I still don't get what this whole servant thing comes from…"

Yugi: "Hehe… I'll tell you later, Akia."

Ryuuzaki: "Who's your servant? You're annoying me! Be quiet!"

"That's no way to talk to a lady…"

Akia's mutterings weren't heard by anyone. She didn't really want anyone to hear them either.

Jounouchi: "Fine, Ryuuzaki! In this Duel, if I lose, I'll give you the Time Magician!"

_'__Now you better win this, Jounouchi!"_

Mai looked at Jounouchi, shocked that he agreed.

Ryuuzaki: "All right!"

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun?"

"Yeah! You go, Jounouchi! Win the Red-Eyes, or you'll suffer my wrath!"

Jounouchi: "Take it easy, Akia! You'll see what I'm made of!"

He turned back to Ryuuzaki.

Jounouchi: "But before that happens… I'll use this card!"

Jounouchi flipped a card that was face-down on his side of the field.

Yugi: "Time Magician!"

Ryuuzaki: "What?!"

Yugi: "He discovered it, didn't he?"

"…His only chance to win this!"

Mai: "That idiot! He said too much!"

The Time Magician then appeared on the field, facing a roaring Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

Ryuuzaki: "But wait! The possibility to activate Time Magic is 1 in 2. It isn't you who decides for the Time Magician!"

Jounouchi: "Time Roulette!"

The roulette on the Time Magician's staff started turning.

Anzu: "The roulette started to spin!"

Yugi: "If it is good, it's Time Magic, otherwise it'll self-destruct."

"50/50 chance…"

Honda: "Please! Hit the good one!"

The roulette started to slow down. The result was unpredictable. Everyone was on the edge of their toes.

Anzu: "The pointer…"

Mai: "…is stopping."

When it seemed like it would stop on a skull, meaning failure, it went and stopped on the Time Machine symbol.

Yugi: "It worked!"

All of Jounouchi's friends happily exclaimed in agreement with Yugi's statement. Ryuuzaki, on the other hand, looked horrified.

Jounouchi: "Time Magic!"

The Time Magician then repeated what Jounouchi said, while pointing his staff towards the Red-Eyes. A strong wind then blew and a bright light shone.

Ryuuzaki: "What… What is happening?"

Both wind and light subsided and what was left shocked everyone.

Anzu: "Yugi… That's…"

Mai: "That is…"

Right in front of them, the Red-Eyes stood there. It didn't look normal anymore though. It had a greyish tint and looked as if it was made of rock particles, with cracks all over.

Ryuuzaki: "What happened?"

"Red-Eyes…"

Akia didn't like seeing the Red-Eyes Black Dragon in such a deteriorated shape. She knew it was just a hologram and that it was just a trading card, but it made her think too much of the Red-Eyes that was within her. The Red-Eyes then started cracking, and its head fell off its body, crumbling on the floor. The rest of its body then followed, leaving only a pile of rubble.

Yugi: "In an instant, millions of years passed and the Red-Eyes became a fossil."

Ryuuzaki's Life Points then went from 840 all the way down to 0.

Ryuuzaki: "My Red-Eyes…"

Jounouchi then sighed in relief.

Jounouchi: "Ryuuzaki! Give your Star Chips and Red-Eyes to me!"

Yugi: "All right! Jounouchi-kun won!"

Jounouchi then went down from the platform, running towards his friends.

Jounouchi: "Honda!"

Honda: "Jounouchi!"

Honda was also running towards Jounouchi.

Jounouchi: "Honda!"

Honda: "Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi had his arms open for a hug when…

Jounouchi: "Ack…."

…Honda punched him in the face.

Honda: "What a good feeling!"

Jounouchi: "Y-You came back just to punch me?!"

"I still feel like I'm missing something here…"

Yugi: "Haha, I'll tell you later, Akia."

Honda: "You really worried me… So this beating was obvious, wasn't it?"

Jounouchi and Honda bickered for a bit while Yugi started telling Akia what happened.

Yugi: "After you left, Jounouchi was able to win against Kujaku using Time Magician and Baby Dragon. After that, I duelled against Kajiki Ryota, who used a water based Deck. Then, we ran into Mokuba, Kaiba's little brother who wanted to duel me, because he said that it was my fault that Kaiba disappeared. Finally, someone who claimed to be the ghost of Kaiba challenged me to a Duel. The other me was able to figure out that it was just someone who was sent by Industrial Illusions to disguise himself as Kaiba, to throw us off. The other me then managed to win the Duel, thanks to some help we received from the real Kaiba. And as for Ryuuzaki being Mai's "servant", well it's because Mai wanted to find someone who could defeat Jounouchi, so she decided to get Ryuuzaki to do it. She probably offered him something in exchange. Until now, I was able to get six Star Chips. Jounouchi has four after this win. Now, you tell me what happened with you!"

Akia told him that she was able to duel some girl who was in the top 10 of the same tournament Insector Haga and Dinosaur Ryuuzaki were in. She left out the part where she met with Bakura. She thought that he wouldn't really appreciate it if she said anything about him being there.

"And, because of that Duel, I was able to get eight Star Chips!"

Yugi: "That's great! Only two left to go for you!"

"Yeah! But you know, I'm actually really glad that Jounouchi got the Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

Yugi: "That monster means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

"You could say that."

The moon was out; it was the start of the first night.

Yugi: "It's getting dark already."

Honda: "And it seems there're no duelists on this side…"

Jounouchi: "I think most people just want to sleep at night. So Akia, you took forever to get to us. What happened to our bet?"

"I guess it's invalid since we don't really know who won first."

Jounouchi: "…Fine. I'm still pretty sure I won that. But seriously, you got lucky to be able to win six Star Chips in one Duel."

"I wasn't lucky; she just underestimated me."

They all then found a place where they set camp for the night. They sat around in a circle, and started chatting about the events of the day.

"Hey, Jounouchi, can I see your Red-Eyes?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah, sure! I was meaning to show you my Grand Prize!"

Jounouchi took the card out, and handed it to Akia. She just kept staring at it in wonder. It was exactly the same monster. She was sure of it.

_'__Why did I have a Duel Monster inside of me? I don't get it… Did Pegasus just happen to invent a card that coincidently looked the same and had the same name as the monster I saw in my soul? No, that doesn't make sense. There's something more to it. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that Red-Eyes is happy to be in Jounouchi's possession now, instead of that little shrimp Ryuuzaki.'_

Honda: "Man, I'm hungry! Why do they just invite us to a tournament without any food? This is not a survival in the wild tournament!"

Jounouchi: "I need food now!"

"I think the best course of action is to start by gathering wood for a fire. Then, we look for food."

Anzu: "Akia-chan is right on that one."

Mai then approached them without them noticing.

Mai: "Well, all of you are together this time, huh?"

Jounouchi: "What? You again?"

She then took out a bar of chocolate and took a bite out of it. They all looked at her hungrily.

Jounouchi: "You! Did you just come here to eat this in front of us?!"

Mai: "What about it, Jounouchi? Want to trade this chocolate for some of your Star Chips?"

Jounouchi: "Don't joke around! These Star Chips are my life!"

Mai: "It's a joke! A joke! As a Duelist, I didn't feel that you would degrade to that level."

Jounouchi: "Geez… This person really pisses me off."

Mai: "How about this? We'll have a truce for tonight. We're all tired, aren't we?"

Yugi: "That's right we've been dueling all day."

Jounouchi: "I can't trust her…"

Mai: "Then I guess you don't mind not eating tonight."

"Don't mind him! Let's get to know each other, Mai-san!"

_'__I'm way too hungry. If eating means getting along with Mai, then so be it!'_

Jounouchi: "Woah! That's a lot of food!"

"Yeah, you came prepared!"

Yugi: "There's even a tent and survival equipment in there!"

Anzu: "You brought all this for yourself?"

Mai: "A Duelist can only depend on himself. It's normal to come prepared. Cooking will be Anzu and Yugi's task. Honda and Jounouchi, go get some water. Akia, you'll help me set up the tent."

Everyone went to do his task.

Yugi: "I'll go get some wood."

"You do that."

The only three people that were left at the campsite were the three girls.

Mai: "So, you're Anzu-chan, and you're Akia-chan, right?"

They both nodded at Mai.

_'__To be honest, she's not that bad. I mean, she's willing to share all her supplies with us.'_

Mai: "We're going to go set up a shower over there, so you two can use it when the boys return with the water."

Anzu: "Really?"

"You're a life-saver! I was starting to get all sweaty after all that forest humidity."

Both girls were overjoyed upon hearing that they will be able to wash up after such a long day.

Mai: "We have to understand each other between girls."

Mai and Akia then started putting up the tent and taking care of installing the shower.

Mai: "You're pretty handy, aren't you?"

"You think so? It's the first time I set a tent."

Mai: "Well, you're better than most."

Mai then noticed that Akia had accumulated eight Star Chips.

Mai: "We both have the same number of Star Chips, don't we?"

Akia looked at both her gauntlet and Mai's gauntlet.

"Pretty good. Now that I think about it, we never actually saw each other duel."

Mai: "We'll both be in the finals anyway, won't we?"

Akia grinned. Mai actually acknowledged that Akia was skilled enough to get to the finals.

"Yeah, let's both do our best for that to happen."

They both kept chitchatting for a bit until Jounouchi came to interrupt them.

Jounouchi: "Hey, we're back with your water!"

Mai: "Great, give it here and go help with the cooking."

Jounouchi: "Fine…"

Even though Jounouchi didn't seem like he liked being ordered around by Mai, he still did everything she told him to do.

Mai: "Who wants to shower first?"

Mai looked at Akia and Anzu.

"Well, I don't mind going after."

Mai: "Alright, then go ahead, Anzu-chan."

Anzu: "Sure."

Anzu then went inside the shower, and proceeded to take off her clothes.

Mai: "So, why are you girls hanging out together with those guys anyway?"

"Well, for one, I'm Yugi's twin sister."

Mai: "You are? No wonder you're so short."

"Yeah, I get that a lot…"

Anzu: "Besides that, we are all best friends."

Mai: "Best friends, huh…"

_Mai's POV_

I wonder what she means by that… What are best friends? Is it something necessary, to have friends? Isn't it just a weakness that holds Duelists back? But… All of them look so happy together. It almost seems like Yugi is an outstanding Duelist because of his friends. And then there's Jounouchi. Jounouchi… Who could've thought a newbie like him could beat me and Dinosaur Ryuuzaki. He's really something. He keeps saying it's all because of his friends. Was I wrong the whole time? Could friends actually be a strength to have? I wonder if I'll ever...

Anzu: "Aaaaah!"

Akia: "Anzu?"

"What's wrong?!"

I rush in the shower after hearing Anzu-chan scream.

Anzu: "I think I heard something coming from the bushes behind here!"

I go out at the back of the shower, and look around. Akia-chan follows me. It doesn't seem like there's anyone around. I still feel a bit uneasy though.

"I don't see anything."

Akia: "Me neither…"

A bunch of male voices that I recognize very well then get closer.

Honda: "Something happened?"

Jounouchi: "Hey! Can we get in and see?"

Those little perverts… Both Akia-chan and me get back to the front, noticing how Yugi was trying to hold the two slime balls back. I hit both of them on their head, knocking them out.

"No! Of course not!"

They then go back to the campfire.

Anzu: "Alright, I'll wrap up here so that you two can get your turn in the shower."

Akia-chan then comes closer to me, and lowers her voice so that Anzu-chan doesn't hear what she has to say.

Akia: "You sure there was nothing back there?"

"Yeah, pretty sure… Did you hear something too?"

Akia: "No, but I feel like we're being watched."

So she feels uneasy too… Just then, Anzu-chan gets out of the shower. Akia-chan then goes after her and finishes up pretty quickly. Finally, my turn!

_Outside POV_

They all gathered around the campfire, and started digging into the instant food that the boys had heated up.

"Man, I was starving!"

Jounouchi: "Nothing better than eating after a good day of Dueling!"

Yugi: "Mai-san has already eight Star Chips?"

Mai: "Yeah. But eventually, we'll duel with each other, Yugi."

Mai looked at him with a competitive fire in her eyes.

Anzu: "Hey, we said we were going to forget about dueling for tonight at least."

Mai: "Now, we're together but tomorrow everyone will be enemies. That's what it is to be a Duelist."

Mai then got up.

Mai: "Thanks for the food… I need to go take some fresh air."

"Mai-san…"

_'__I don't know about going alone like that at night…'_

Jounouchi: "Geez… This woman isn't cute at all!"

"Why would you want her to be cute...?"

Akia looked at him with an annoyed gaze.

Jounouchi: "Well… uh… I don't know… I mean… Isn't it normal for girls to be cute…?"

_'__That idiot… He's probably attracted to her, and doesn't understand why he is. He probably doesn't even realize he is… Why her? She's like so out of my league!'_

A bit of time passed by, and Mai was still not back.

"Don't you guys think Mai-san has been gone for a bit too long?"

Yugi: "Yeah… You're right."

Jounouchi: "Leave her be."

Anzu: "But… Aaaaah!"

A rustling in the bushes behind Anzu caused her to scream. Akia, Jounouchi, and Honda dashed towards where the noise came from, while Yugi stood between her and the bush, in a protective way.

Jounouchi: "Who is it? Show yourself!"

A figure then started appearing from the bushes.

"…Bakura!"

Jounouchi: "Dude! You got on board too?"

Bakura: "Ah… yes."

Akia noticed that he was acting like the normal Bakura, and not like the Spirit of the Ring.

_'__Could he be back to normal? No… Something still feels off.'_

Honda: "We didn't meet for all this time."

Jounouchi: "Really? Well, now we have another supporter, so let's be grateful."

He then turned towards Akia and gave her a teasing smile.

Jounouchi: "I know someone here who's probably really happy that Bakura's here."

Akia glared at him. He was still so obviously oblivious to the fact that he was the one that was occupying her mind all the time.

After catching up, they all sat back down around the fire, and talked about all the Duels that went on that day.

Jounouchi: "What the heck? Everyone seems to have brought their cards here."

"Yeah, I didn't know you had a deck of your own, Honda."

Honda: "Oh, come on! My skills might surprise you."

Bakura: "What's your favourite card, Jounouchi-kun?"

Jounouchi: "Me? Of course it's got to be this one!"

Jounouchi then took out the Flame Swordsman. He then got up and imitated the pose that the Flam Swordsman was in.

Jounouchi: "From now on, I am the Flame Swordsman!"

He then took a swing with his invisible sword. Honda then got up, and showed off the card that he liked the most.

Honda: "I am this one! Commander!"

Akia and Anzu chuckled at how excited the guys were.

Yugi: "How about you Anzu-chan? What's your favourite card?"

Anzu looked through her deck and took out Saint Magician.

Anzu: "I think this one."

Bakura then turned to Yugi.

Bakura: "How about you, Yugi-kun?"

Yugi, without any hesitation, took out his Black Magician.

Yugi: "Black Magician, without a doubt."

Jounouchi: "Hey, Akia still didn't tell us her favourite card!"

"Oh, me? Well… My favourite card is actually in your deck, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi: "Really? Which one is it?"

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

Jounouchi: "Well, that is a great choice, but you have to choose your favourite from your own deck."

"What kind of rule is that?"

Yugi: "There must be a card that's your favourite in your deck, Akia."

"Well, I love them all. But I got to say Different Dimension Warrior is at the top of my list."

Yugi: "Oh, that card that removes both itself and the monster it was battling with from the game right?"

"That's right."

Anzu: "I feel like I'm getting to know all of you under a different light."

Yugi: "Like grandpa said, all cards have a heart. Once the Duelist finds it, then the real Duel can begin. How about you, Bakura? Any card that you like?"

Bakura smiled and took out a card from his deck.

Bakura: "Well, mine is a bit different. It's a spell card."

"Change of Heart…?"

_'__It says a lot about Bakura's situation with the Spirit of the Ring.'_

Jounouchi: "You like a weird card."

Bakura smirked.

Bakura: "Oh yeah, Yugi-kun… Why not duel with me? Of course, we won't bet any Star Chips."

_'__What's he up to? Why duel all of a sudden? He's definitely up to no good.'_

Jounouchi: "Isn't that good, Yugi? Since we got on this island, we've only had serious duels."

Yugi: "That's right. It'll be good to duel without pressure."

Bakura: "How about you put your favourite cards in Yugi's deck?"

Jounouchi: "That's a good idea!"

Honda: "Yeah!"

"Count me out of that."

Jounouchi: "Wait, what? Why? It'll be fun!"

"I don't want my card outside of my own deck."

_'__To be honest, it's a really fun idea, but I don't trust what Bakura is planning to do.'_

Anzu: "Come on, Akia-chan! I'm putting my card in there, too. I think it'll be fun if we all did it. Yugi will have something of all of us in his deck."

"Forget it. I'm going to go look around for Mai-san. She's been gone for way too long. I'll be back as soon as I can."

_'__This will allow me to find out what Bakura is really up to from behind the scenes, and get to Mai-san.'_

Bakura: "Be careful out there."

Even though Akia was certain that this was the evil Spirit of the Ring, she felt like he actually meant what he just said.

"…Thanks."

She then left the group behind, and went to look in the direction where Mai headed earlier.

She looked around, and found no one. She was starting to get really worried, when she heard a scream.

_'__That was Mai-san!'_

Akia ran towards where the scream came from. She ended up in front of a duel platform. She found Mai dueling a rather large man. He had two duel gloves with two rows of ten Star Chip slots, equalling a total of forty Star Chip slots.

_'__He's no normal contestant… He might not even be a contestant at all!'_

Akia then looked at the Life Points, and saw that Mai was about to lose with the next attack.

"Mai-san!"

When Mai heard Akia, she looked at her with a panicked gaze.

Mai: "Akia-chan! Get me out of here!"

Akia then noticed that Mai's feet were cuffed to the platform. The final blow was thrown, and the platform came down. Akia ran towards Mai.

"Mai-san, what happened?"

The cuffs around Mai's feet were released and her knees gave out. Akia then tried to hold her up. She didn't notice that Mai's opponent was now heading towards them. He grabbed Mai's wrist and held her up.

"Let go of Mai-san, you bastard!"

"She lost to me. She has to give me all of her Star Chips!"

He then took all of them and let Mai drop on the floor.

"Mai-san! You bet all of your Star Chips?"

Mai: "I… I had no choice… Panik threatened me."

Panik: "Threatened you? I just made you panic a little. You're now disqualified, you little weakling."

Akia helped Mai get up on her feet, and faced Panik.

"She's not disqualified yet. I also have eight Star Chips. I'll duel you and we'll both bet all eight."

Panik: "Hahaha! You're on, girly. My job is to eliminate as many contestants as I can, anyway."

Mai: "Akia-chan, don't! He's dangerous!"

"Don't worry about me, Mai-san. I'll get your Star Chips back."

Akia took out her millennium scale. She knew something bad could happen around that man, and her only protection would be her millennium item.

Panik: "What's a puny little girl like you hope to accomplish? And what's with that scale? An oversized charm?"

Panik then burst out in mocking laughter.

"I'll duel you."

Panik: "You? I see you already have eight Star Chips. Why not? You're asking to be eliminated."

"So it's a deal then. We'll both bet eight Star Chips. Until then, Mai-san's elimination is put on hold."

Panik: "Are you hoping to get her Star Chips back for her? You're way over your head, kid. I'm Panik, one of the top eliminators of this tournament! Pegasus hired me for my undisputed skills. Someone like you doesn't even stand a chance."

Mai: "Akia-chan, please don't do this! He's dangerous, you won't stand a chance."

"Don't underestimate me, Mai-san."

With that, Akia went to the Dueling platform, leaving Mai speechless at the confidence that her voice carried. Akia then looked at Panik, who still didn't get on the platform.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and let's get this over with."

Panik: "Don't order me around, little girl, or you'll regret it."

Panik then went to the opposite platform, and they were both brought up to the dueling area. As soon as Akia got on the platform, her feet got cuffed to it.

"What is that?"

Panik: "Haha! That's to make sure that you won't run away in fear, little girl!"

_'__So he uses dirty tricks like that to psyche his opponents out. No wonder Mai looks so terrified. I'm pretty sure that's not the only dirty trick he's got up his sleeve.'_

_Mai's POV_

She's like a completely different person. The determination in her eyes is like none I've ever seen before. She practically looks angry at Panik; like she'll crush him in any second.

Akia: "It doesn't matter what dirty tricks you try to pull. I'll show you what happens when you mess with my friend."

Friend? Did she say friend? Is she… referring to me?

Jounouchi: "Mai! Akia!"

Jounouchi? I look behind me towards where the voice is coming. I see Jounouchi, Yugi, Honda, and Anzu running towards here. I feel so relieved to see them.

Yugi: "What happened?"

"Panik dueled me and took all of my Star Chips… Then, Akia-chan challenged him to a Duel to get the Star Chips back. You have to do something! She doesn't know what she's getting herself into. He's very dangerous! He could seriously hurt her!"

When Jounouchi heard what I just said, his eyes widened. He runs towards the duel arena.

Jounouchi: "Akia! Get down from there!"

Akia: "I won't back away from a duel, especially against someone as cowardly as him."

Oh no! She's provoking him!

Panik: "What did you say?"

"You heard me."

Panik: "Oh you'll regret your words, you little bitch."

Panik then clicks on a button. I was afraid this was going to happen! Fire starts shooting all around Akia.

"Akia-chan!"

Jounouchi: "Akia!"

Bakura: "Akia-chan…!"

Yugi: "Akia! Don't let yourself be phased by his tricks!"

Yugi? His voice sounds more authoritative than usual. It's almost like he's a totally different person.

Anzu: "Yugi! We have to do something to get her out of this duel!"

When the fire ceases, Akia is in the middle, unharmed and unfazed. How? Isn't she afraid?

Panik: "Well, I guess you have more guts than your looks suggest."

Akia: "Are you going to start the duel already?"

What's this? It seems like she's holding her golden scale thing tightly. I guess she really was afraid, even if just a little bit.

Panik: "Alright, I draw!"

Panik grins.

Panik: "I summon Castle of Dark Illusions (920/1930) in defense position. Because of the field bonus the parameters are changed! (1196/2509)"

It's that card! The card that changes the whole tide of the duel! The field on Panik's side becomes shrouded in darkness. She won't be able to see anything on his side of the field now.

Akia: "So that's your strategy…"

Panik: "Not only will you not be able to see my cards, but you also won't be getting any of the field bonuses for your monsters. With that, I end my turn."

Akia: "My turn, I draw!"

Without saying a word, Akia places two cards face down and a monster in face down defense position.

Akia: "Let's both play blind then. I can't see your cards, and you can't see mine."

Panik: "Heh, being on the defensive won't accomplish anything."

Akia: "Wouldn't you say? Let's see who's going to be the first one of us to take action."

Panik frowns. He then draws and summons a monster. No one can see what position it's in or what it even is. He ends his turn at that, without attacking.

Akia: "I knew you wouldn't attack. I draw. I summon Different Dimension Warrior (1200/1000) in attack mode. I'll end my turn at that."

Wait, what? That's too reckless! The attack of that monster is way too small compared to the monsters that Panik used against me! Or maybe… those face down cards? Is she luring him to attack her?

Panik: "That puny monster doesn't stand a chance against anything. What kind of crazy idea crossed your mind to do something that stupid?"

Akia: "I duel however I want to duel! It's your turn so get on with it!"

Panik: "I told you not to order me around! Anyway, I draw."

Panik summons another monster and hesitates. Is he thinking of attacking her? He's probably worried about the two face downs that she put. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them, if not all of them are traps.

Akia: "What's the matter? Get on with it already. Are you done your turn?"

Panik: "Not yet… I will… attack your Different Dimension Warrior!"

One of his monsters comes out of the shadows and its parameters appear. It's the Dark Chimera (1610/1460) with the field bonus it's now (2093/1898)! That would be a huge blow for Akia if it hits. The Dark Chimera battles the Different Dimension Warrior and destroys him! What? I thought Akia had a plan! Did I… overestimate her?

Panik: "I guess I worried for nothing, hahaha!"

Akia: "Oh really?"

Akia's Life points are not going down? What's this? A trap card is now face up!

Yugi: "Hm. Don't underestimate her. She's even stronger than me sometimes."

Akia: "I activate my trap card: Dimension Wall! With this card, any battle damage that I was intended to receive with this attack is received by my opponent instead. Say goodbye to 893 Life Points!"

Panik's Life Points then go down to 1107. Almost half of his Life Points were gone with just one blow…!

Panik: "What?!"

Akia: "And that's not all! Thanks to my Different Dimension Warrior's special ability, if a monster engages in battle with him, it is dragged out of play along with him. So say goodbye to your Chimera!"

The Dark Chimera disappears from the field through a black hole.

Panik: "No…! You'll pay for this."

Akia: "Yeah, yeah, are you done already?"

Panik narrows his eyes, looking at her menacingly.

Panik: "I end my turn."

Akia: "Alright, let's end this already. I draw."

Akia smiles mischievously.

Akia: "I activate Pot of Greed from my hand, which allows me to draw two cards from my deck."

Akia draws two cards and closes her eyes. She didn't draw the right cards?

Jounouchi: "Akia…"

Jounouchi looks extremely worried. He seems to really care about her. Now that I notice, there's this white haired kid that I've never seen before. He looks even more worried than Jounouchi.

Akia: "This is it! I summon Warrior of the Sun (2100/1400) in attack position!"

Jounouchi: "Whoa!"

"Such a powerful monster!"

Where did she ever get that?

Akia: "This card was given to me by my grandpa. I will win against you and I will get him back! You're just a mere stepping stone in my way! Due to the Warrior of the Sun's shining radiance, darkness will no longer be! All your monsters will be exposed and the field bonus will not apply to dark monsters anymore."

Just as Akia said, a blinding light filled the arena and Panik's monster was exposed. The only monster apart from the Castle of Illusions is Barox (1380/1530) with his original parameters. The Castle of Illusions (920/1930) as well was back to its original attack and defense. They were both vulnerable to Akia's upcoming move.

Akia: "To finish this up, I'll flip my defense position monster in face up attack position."

Bakura: "Man-Eater Bug!"

Akia: "With its effect, I'll destroy your Castle of Illusions! Half of its attack will be subtracted from your Life Points, bringing them down to 647!"

Panik: "Gah!"

Akia: "I'm not done, yet! I'll attack your Barox with my Warrior of the Sun! Due to Warrior of the Sun's special ability, it gains a 500 point boost to its attack when it battles a dark monster, during the battle damage, bringing its attack points up to 2600. This will be more than enough to wipe out your Life Points."

Did she… just win? And so easily, too… Panik wasn't even able to touch her Life Points! That's amazing!

Jounouchi: "…Y-Yeah! Akia won! I knew it all along!"

Akia: "Alright now, take off those cuffs on my ankles and give me the Star Chips."

Panik: "Grr… No way! You're not getting away! I'll roast you!"

He starts bringing his fist up, preparing to smash it down on the buttons. Oh no! He's going to kill her!

Akia: "We had an agreement."

His fist stops midway. What? He stopped?

_Outside POV_

"You have breached our agreement, therefore, you will suffer the consequences."

_'__You will pay for your cowardly behaviour and for hurting my friend.'_

Akia's millennium scale started to glow, and Panik fell to the ground, unconscious. Both platforms went down and the cuffs around Akia's ankles automatically opened up, freeing her. She then goes straight to where Panik is and takes all of the Star Chips he had in his gloves, which were a total of fifteen.

She then went back to Mai, and presented her with ten Star Chips.

"Here. There's extra."

Mai looked down.

Mai: "You won them, Akia-chan. You should keep them. I don't want to feel like I owe you."

"But…"

Just then Jounouchi barged it and took the Star Chips from Akia.

Jounouchi: "If she doesn't want them, I'll take them, hehe."

Mai: "Hey! Give those back!"

Mai ran after Jounouchi. He held his arm up high so that she couldn't reach the Star Chips. She then reached out for them, even though it was obvious that Jounouchi's hand was out of reach.

_'__I guess it doesn't bother me that much to see those two close like that. I was probably feeling attached to Jounouchi because of how destiny decided to have the Red Eyes Black Dragon come to his deck.'_

Jounouchi then put the Star Chips into Mai's hand. She hesitated for a bit and lowered her arm.

Jounouchi: "Finally, you took them. Make sure you don't lose them again, Akia went through a lot of trouble getting them."

Akia smiled at how the two acted together.

Mai: "Alright, I'll take only eight of them. I want to earn the other two with my own strength."

She gave two of the Star Chips back to Akia.

"It's whatever makes you feel better, Mai-san. Now I have ten Star Chips, and five remaining. Anyone want them?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah! Give them here. We'll take care of them, me and Yugi."

Akia gave the Star Chips to Jounouchi.

"Alright guys, I'm going to head to the castle. I'll be waiting for you there."

Mai: "I'll come part of the way with you."

Bakura: "You were really amazing out there."

"Are you… back to normal?"

Yugi nodded at her, to confirm that Bakura was indeed back to his sweet normal self. Akia then took Bakura's hand and got away from her friends.

"What happened?"

Bakura: "Oh, you mean about the Spirit of the Ring?"

"Yeah."

Bakura: "Yugi and Him had a Yami no Game. Since Yugi won, he banished the spirit."

"He… did?"

_'__Why am I not happier about this? Ryou's back to normal and the evil spirit is gone! Am I actually missing that spirit? Did I care for him? But that's just wrong! All he ever did was evil, and he always plots to harm the people that are the closest to me.'_

Bakura: "Akia-chan? Is everything alright?"

"Ah… Yeah… I'm just glad you're back, Ryou."

Bakura smiled at her and, without warning, he pulled her into his arms. Akia felt the blood rush up to her cheeks.

"R-Ryou…? Is everything alright?"

Bakura: "I was… so scared that he might've hurt you. I'm glad you're alright."

Akia was blushing more than ever.

_'__I never realized just how good Ryou smells. Wait! What am I thinking? I should get out of this hug before anyone gets the wrong idea! But… would it be bad if people thought we were… No, no, no! I should focus on getting grandpa back. This will just complicate things. I'll deal with these feelings after we get grandpa.'_

Akia gently pushed Bakura away. Before there could be an awkward silence, Jounouchi came and put an arm around Bakura and Akia's shoulders.

Jounouchi: "Hey lovebirds, just wanted to tell you that we're going back to the camp, so if you ever want to join, feel free to do that."

Bakura: "A-All right, I'm coming."

"I'll come in a bit."

Jounouchi and Bakura left Akia alone. Mai then came to join her.

Mai: "You were pretty great out there, by the way."

"I was, wasn't I? Hehe."

Mai: "Thanks…"

"Hm? Come on, it was only natural."

Mai: "Natural…?"

"Yeah, didn't I say that I consider you my friend? Friends help each other like that."

Mai looked at Akia with a surprised look on her face. She then smiled.

"Should we go join them? Or should we start heading to the castle?"

Mai: "What do you think?"

"I think the faster we leave, the faster this whole thing will be over. Let's go get some actual beds to sleep on!"

Mai: "Then let's get going."

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**Please review!**

**I'll try to update soon!**

**Thanks for actually reading this whole thing XD**


	19. To the Castle

**Alright, last chapter before the finals! I'm still trying to figure out who will be dueling who without changing too much of the original story.**

**I added some nice romantic action in this one, I hope it's enjoyable to all of you!**

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Chapter 19: To the Castle

"Nice one, Mai-san!"

Mai smiled triumphantly when her Harpie Lady Sisters shredded her opponent's monster with their claws.

Mai: "Your Life Points are now down to 0. Your Star Chips are mine."

After she took the Star Chips from the duelist she was against, she went back to Akia.

"Now we both have ten Star Chips. Let's get to the castle now."

Mai: "Already? Don't you want to have some more fun, Akia-chan? We could go around dueling some more."

"Oh come on, that's all we've been doing for almost two days. Besides, we have to be at the castle by sunset."

Mai: "You got a point."

They both then started heading towards Pegasus' castle.

"I wonder if it was a good idea to eliminate that girl when I didn't even need any more Star Chips."

Akia took out five Star Chips out of her pocket and looked at them.

Mai: "Why not? The less competition, the better it is for the final round. If you hadn't eliminated her, someone else would've instead; she wasn't exactly the most skilled of duelists. I mean, come on, it took you only two turns to win…"

Akia closed her hand on the Star Chips and smiled.

"I guess you're right! I mean, maybe those Star Chips will come in handy for Yugi or Jounouchi."

Mai: "Doubt it. Those two can handle themselves pretty well."

"Then, should I just throw them out?"

Mai: "No! Keep them! I said I doubted it, but I didn't say that for sure they wouldn't need it. Especially Jounouchi…"

"Jounouchi? Even though he beat you…?"

Mai: "Hey! He just got lucky."

Akia knew that Mai was just mentioning Jounouchi because she was just more fond of him. That is why she felt like teasing her a lot about it.

"Sure… Don't you think he's actually quite handsome when he gets all serious?"

Mai: "W-W-What are you talking about? That kid? No way! He's just stubborn and rude!"

Mai's face turned into a deep shade of red. She didn't know why Akia was mentioning these kinds of things.

_'__Hehe she's all red! I didn't know it would be so much fun to tease her!'_

"Whatever you say…"

Akia grinned at Mai and gave her a teasing look.

"We're almost there! Only a few stairs to climb…"

Mai: "This thing is a real workout… What was Pegasus thinking? He could've at least added some kind of elevator or something. I'm sure it wouldn't cost him much with his kind of money."

They kept climbing until they finally reached the top. There, the scene that unfolded in front of them left then in a state of confused shock. Jounouchi was holding Yugi by his collar.

Jounouchi: "Dammit Yugi! Snap out of it!"

Mai: "What are you guys doing here?"

Mai interrupted them before anything serious happened.

Anzu: "Mai-san, Akia-chan!"

"What's happening? Why does Yugi look so down?"

Akia felt that her brother wasn't all there. She went up to him. He didn't even acknowledge her presence. She then turned to Jounouchi.

"Jounouchi, tell me what's wrong with him?"

Jounouchi: "He had a duel with Kaiba. He was about to win, but Kaiba was so desperate that he stood on the ledge, saying that the shockwaves of an attack would kill him if Yugi attacked. Yugi still attacked, but Anzu was able to snap him out of it."

_'__So the Spirit inside Yugi's puzzle also has some malice. To think that he wouldn't hesitate to kill someone for the sake of winning a card game… But then again, he probably felt the same intense desire as Yugi to save grandpa.'_

Akia turned to Mai. Mai nodded, understanding what Akia was trying to say. She went up to Yugi.

Mai: "How can you be defeated without even entering the castle? I won't accept that!"

She had her hand closed in a fist and then she thrust it in front of Yugi. She then turned her hand around and opened it to reveal some extra Star Chips that both she and Akia won.

Jounouchi: "But… aren't these yours?"

Mai: "Are you kidding? Those are just extra Star Chips that both Akia and I collected."

Yugi remained unresponsive to the Star Chips that Mai held in front of him.

"Yugi…"

Akia knew that Yugi was probably feeling guilty. He was feeling that way because of what might've happened if Anzu wasn't there to stop him.

Bakura: "Akia!"

Bakura rushed to Akia's side. He really missed her. He wished that she had went with them instead of going their separate ways.

"Bakura!"

Jounouchi: "Yugi, just accept them! Let's go in the castle together."

Yugi didn't even budge. Mai was getting impatient.

Mai: "Looks like I overrated you. Just because you lost one duel, you lost your morale! You're not so great after all!"

Akia looked at Mai, confused by her attitude. When they made eye contact, Akia understood that Mai was only doing this for Yugi.

_'__Mai-san… I hope you get through to him.'_

Anzu: "That's not it…! Yugi lost because I…"

Mai cut her before she could continue.

Mai: "I know. If you won't suck it up and enter, how about we have a duel right now?"

Everyone looked at her in shock, except for Akia. Spending all that time with Mai, she knew a bit of the intentions behind her actions.

Mai: "You'll agree to that much, won't you? Now!"

Yugi didn't show any reaction, causing Mai to become even more frustrated. As she was about to let out her anger, Anzu interrupted her.

Anzu: "Wait…"

Mai looked at her in surprise.

Anzu: "Mai-san, I'll duel you!"

"Wait what…?"

Now that was totally unexpected to everyone who was standing there.

Anzu: "If I win, those Star Chips are mine!"

Honda: "Wait a second, how can you win?!"

Anzu: "It's my responsibility to get Yugi into that castle! Mai-san, fight me!"

Mai smiled at the situation.

Mai: "Ridiculous… You really think you can defeat me?"

Anzu took out her deck.

Anzu: "I will surely win. I have to win!"

Mai looked at Anzu, surprised by her determination. She then let her gaze fall upon Akia's. They nodded to each other.

_'__That's right. If this will get Yugi to wake up, then you should go on with this duel, Mai-san.'_

Mai: "Alright, I accept."

Everyone headed towards a dueling platform, but Bakura held Akia's wrist, keeping her back. She looked at him in confusion.

"What is it, Ryou?"

Mai and Anzu were already starting their duel. Akia wanted to see it, but Bakura seemed like he had something important to say.

Bakura: "Akia-chan, why did you leave without saying anything?"

He looked at her with sad eyes. He was really feeling disappointed that she didn't at least tell him.

"Well… I just thought that it would be better not to cause a commotion… I was pretty sure you guys wouldn't have wanted me to go."

Bakura: "You don't know how worried I was."

"Oh, come on, you shouldn't worry about me…"

Bakura: "Why shouldn't I?"

Bakura's voice sounded firm for the first time. Akia only knew him to be the sweet and kind Ryou, but this was the first time she saw that side of him. She knew it wasn't the Spirit of the Ring either. This was the real Bakura.

"Ryou…"

She dropped her head low.

"I'm sorry I worried you."

She then felt herself being enveloped in Ryou's arms. Her head was resting on his chest and she could hear his heartbeat. It was racing. Hers must've been going at full speed too. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

"R-Ryou…!"

Bakura gently hushed her.

Bakura: "Please… Let's stay like this for a bit."

He started caressing her hair with a soft trembling hand. His other arm was wrapped around her waist. His sudden closeness made Akia feel lightheaded from all the blood that filled her cheeks. She felt a tight lump in her throat, similar to what one feels when they are about to cry. However, this was very different. The feeling was much more positive than sadness. She didn't know what it was, though. Her stomach felt tight and her breathing was short.

Bakura felt the same thing. He kept thinking about how soft Akia felt in his arms. She smelled so sweet and he felt like he wanted to keep her close to his heart. He… loved her. He wanted her all to himself. He didn't know if she felt the same, but he just didn't want to let her go.

Akia was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. She didn't know if she had any feelings for Bakura, but he didn't leave her indifferent. However, for now, she just couldn't take much more of the closeness. She slowly tried to get away from Bakura. All that accomplished was to make him hug her tighter.

"Ryou, please… I'm not ready for anything like this."

He then reluctantly let go of her and looked at her with a pained expression. She reached for his hand and held it in her own. She smiled at him.

"I still didn't dislike that, though."

Bakura's heart fluttered at Akia's words. He had a chance. He knew for sure that he did now. He'll just take it one step at a time from here on out.

The two of them then headed back to where Mai and Anzu were dueling. By the time they arrived, the duel was already over. Akia went over to Mai to ask her about the details.

Mai: "I surrendered. I wanted Anzu to get the Star Chips any way possible so that she could give them to Yugi."

"Thank you so much, Mai-san. I'm glad that you care about how my brother's doing."

Mai blushed slightly at Akia's praise.

Mai: "I-I was just making sure to have him in the finals so that I can duel him."

Akia giggled at Mai's expression. She then went to see how Yugi was doing.

"I see you're all better, Yugi."

Yugi: "Akia… I'm sorry about my immature behaviour."

"I'm just glad you're back on your feet. Now we can both go save grandpa together."

Yugi: "Yeah, let's go."

The group then started heading for the castle, where the main battle would take place.

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**If you liked it, then tell me what you liked about it ;D**

**Thanks for reading!**


	20. Kaiba's Defeat

**Finally wrote this! I'm debating on whether I should do one big chapter that has all the events leading up to the final duel like the chapter where they hunt for Star Chips or if I should have a lot of tiny ones like this one here. Of course, if the chapter is longer, it'll take me more time to update. I'll do my best though, since I'm in my winter break. Tell me in the reviews if I should do a huge chapter or just stick to small ones!**

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Chapter 20: Kaiba's Defeat

Mai: "And now the last Star Chip…"

Mai said as she inserted the tenth Star Chip inside the slot of the castle doors. An unlocking sound was heard and she turned the doorknob and pushed the doors in.

"Woah…"

They all started heading inside, when, suddenly, a man wearing a black suit and sunglasses, with a very long and pointy hairdo, blocked Anzu, Bakura and Honda's way.

"You guys are not allowed to enter the castle! You must be contestants that have ten Star Chips to make it through!"

Anzu: "Oh please, can't you let us off the hook this time? We're here to encourage our…"

"A no is a no! Now come with me…"

Mai then intervened and stood in front of him. She took on a seductive tone and looked at the man with a sexy gaze.

Mai: "Don't be so uptight. Do this little favour for me?"

The man blushed and started stuttering.

"U-uh! I have my orders ma'am! I can't just…"

Mai then walked around, distracting his gaze from Anzu, Honda, and Bakura.

Mai: "Come on, big guy, you can be more lenient than that, can't you?"

"I… I… I…"

Now free from the man's attention, Anzu, Honda, and Bakura ran for the door. Mai followed them. When the large man noticed that he was being fooled, he ran towards them.

"Hey! Get back here-"

They all pushed the door as hard as they could and closed it in his face. A loud bang was heard from the other side.

Mai: "Oof, that was close."

"That was awesome, Mai-san!"

Akia was really starting to idolize Mai. She looked up to her and she felt like she was a role model to her. She was a strong willed woman who always got what she wanted. The more Akia got to know Mai, the more she liked her and respected her. As for Jounouchi, Akia almost completely lost any love interest she had for him. She just knew it wasn't going to work anyway. Besides, she'd rather just be his friend than complicate things. If she were to be completely honest with herself, she'd admit that Bakura occupied a much bigger part of her mind.

"I wonder who that big man back there was. Was he one of Pegasus' goons?"

Yugi: "That was Saruwatari. We ran into him after I duelled Mokuba who wanted revenge for his brother."

"Ah… Oh! I remember I saw him on the boat, too."

As they were talking, they reached a balcony overlooking an arena of some sorts. There, leaning on the rails was a blonde man wearing a bandana bearing the american flag design.

Jounouchi: "You dirty cheater!"

As Jounouchi was about to lash out at him, Honda grabbed him to hold him back.

Honda: "Calm down, Jounouchi! This guy is not worth your efforts!"

"Who's that guy?"

Yugi: "That's Keith Howard. He knocked Jounouchi out and forced him to play against one of his accomplices. When they lost, they locked us up in a cave. It took us a while to find our way out. Without Bakura's ring, we would probably still be stuck there."

"Well now I get why Jounouchi is so worked up about him."

Keith: "Hmph, I guess you losers made it out somehow. Not that it really matters since I'll be the champion."

Jounouchi: "You'll have to go through me first!"

Anzu: "Hey guys! That's Kaiba down there!"

Everyone turned their attention to what was happening below them. Kaiba and Pegasus both came out from the two opposing doors.

Kaiba: "Pegasus! Where did you take Mokuba?"

Pegasus chuckled. He seemed amused at how agitated Kaiba sounded, even though the latter tried to keep a controlled tone of voice.

Pegasus: "Oh, do you mean this?"

He then took out a card from his pocket and showed it to Kaiba.

"That's…!"

Kaiba: "Mokuba! What did you do to him?!"

Pegasus: "Don't worry, Kaiba boy. I merely trapped his soul in this card. If you want him back, you'll have to win in a Duel against me."

Kaiba: "Imprisoned his soul? That's not even possible! Your tricks won't fool me! I'll duel you and win everything back."

Pegasus: "Be careful, though. If you lose, you will end up in the same pitiful state that your baby brother is in."

Kaiba: "I won't lose."

Kaiba then took out two disks from the suitcase he'd been carrying.

Kaiba: "We will be playing using the new technology that I developed."

Pegasus then rose his index finger and shook it.

Pegasus: "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You are not in any position to enforce your own rules into this, Kaiba boy. We will play using the duelling platforms that have been used during this whole tournament. Otherwise, your brother can stay a captive for all I care."

Kaiba groaned in frustration. He probably knew he was in no position to suggest something like that, but having it broken down to him so bluntly must've hit him hard.

Kaiba: "Fine… Have it your way."

Having agreed to Pegasus' ways, the Duel started. From the beginning, it seemed like Pegasus had the upper hand. He was somehow reading Kaiba's every move and every card before Kaiba even did anything. After a few turns, Pegasus revealed his toon deck. His love for cartoons was what inspired him to create these cards.

"I know he's the creator of the game and all, but I can't help but feel like it's a bit unfair to have cards that were especially made for him."

_'__His weird power to read someone's mind gives him a huge upper-hand too. He's almost unbeatable. I don't think I'd even be able to stand a chance against him. Yugi might, though. He has a strange power in his millennium puzzle that might help him. Maybe I'm just trying to escape the responsibility of facing such a powerful opponent.'_

Bakura: "It's really something that can't be helped…"

Kaiba was losing. He was losing fast. Even his Blue Eyes fell prey to Pegasus who took control of it and transformed it into a toon monster. All Akia and her friends could do was watch the tragedy unfold. They all knew the outcome.

Pegasus launched the last attack, which brought Kaiba's Life Points all the way down to 0.

Yugi: "Kaiba!"

Pegasus: "Well, a deal is a deal. Am I right, Kaiba boy?"

Pegasus then revealed his eye from under his hair and extracted Kaiba's soul and absorbed it into a blank card that was then filled with his figure.

Yugi: "Dammit! Now you too, Kaiba…"

Anzu: "Yugi…"

"All the more reason to do everything we can to defeat Pegasus."

_'__Even though, I'm not particularly fond of Kaiba, I still hate to see him in such a sad state.'_

Mai: "This is a whole new level."

Jounouchi: "I can't believe… Kaiba lost…"

Keith: "Well that was a waste of time."

Akia looked at him with annoyance. She had only met him and he was already getting on her nerves. She really hoped she'd go against him in her first match. She just wanted to crush that useless pride of his.

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**Thank you guys for reading!**

**Review and tell me what you think :D**


	21. The Night Before

**Hey everyone! I finally updated! I'm actually satisfied with this chapter. So I hope it is enjoyable to read for you guys as well! It was certainly enjoyable to write :D**

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Chapter 21: The Night Before

After finding the rooms that were assigned to them, the Duelists were summoned to the dining room to eat while getting the details of how the tournament will go from here on out.

Jounouchi: "Oh man! I'm starving!"

Honda: "This chicken is so good!"

Akia: "Hey, don't hog all the food to yourselves!"

Pegasus was watching the scene, amused by how well his plan was going. He wasn't expecting the girl with the millennium scale to actually make it this far, there she was, right where he wanted her. She was able to make it even with the Star Chip Hunters making sure there wouldn't be an extra finalist. With Yugi's puzzle and her scale… It was time to announce who will be dueling who.

Pegasus: "Alright everyone, settle down."

Everyone sat back down at the seat that was assigned to them.

Pegasus: "Considering we have one more Duelist than predicted, one of you will have to Duel more times than others. If you look in front of you…"

As the duelists looked in front of them at the bowl of soup that was just recently served to them, an eye, made out of gold emerges from every plate.

Jounouchi: "Ah! Gross!"

Pegasus: "Inside of those, you will be assigned a number that will pit you against the one with the same number as you."

Akia picked the eyeball that was floating in her soup and opened it. A slip of paper was inside. As she opened it, she found the number 1 written on it.

Pegasus: "If everyone can now show your slip of paper to everyone."

They flipped the paper towards the others, getting a good look at who would be their opponent.

Keith had number 1 also written on his paper. Akia assumed this meant he was her first opponent. That was totally fine by her. She was looking forward to wipe the floor with his pride. Yugi and Mai had 2-A written on their paper. Jounouchi had 2-B written on his.

Pegasus: "Well, that settles it. The first match will be Mutou Akia against Keith Howard. The second match will be Mutou Yugi versus Kujaku Mai. The winner of that match will be put against Jounouchi Katsuya. The Duels will begin tomorrow, so you better prepare well. To claim your prizes, you will need one of these two cards that were sent to you."

Pegasus took out Glory of the King's Hand, a card depicting a golden treasure, and Glory of the King's Opposite Hand, a blank card.

'_Oh no! I don't have any of those! Maybe Yugi… No, we both want the same card. We don't want the Glory of the King's Hand, since it's just the prize money.'_

Akia then felt someone tapping her on the shoulder. She turned to her left and saw Mai handing her her Glory of the King's Opposite Hand.

"Mai-san…"

Mai: "Isn't that the card you need? You're not after the prize money after all."

Akia smiled at Mai and took the card.

"Thanks so much! You're a lifesaver!"

Mai smiled at Akia.

Mai: "Don't mention it. Just make sure you don't lose a single Life Point to that asshole, unless it's really necessary."

"Haha, you don't like him either, Mai-san."

Mai: "Who would?"

"Good question."

They both quietly giggled, trying not to attract too much attention from the subject of their conversation.

After the meal, everyone wished each other goodnight and went to their respective bedrooms.

_Akia's POV_

Finally alone! I really needed some peace and quiet after all that's happened. I lie down on my bed and stare at the ceiling. I run through all the things that we all went through. The Star Chip hunt, meeting Mai, the Evil Spirit in Ryou's millennium ring… Ryou's feelings… that hug, that warmth… Why did I push it away? It felt so nice, yet… Something felt wrong about just accepting it. I still haven't let go of that boy named Marik. It's so silly that I'm so hung up on something that happened so long ago. I don't even remember how he looked like back then. Even if I do see him again, I won't recognize him, and neither will he. Then… Why haven't I let go already?!

I lightly punch the mattress beneath me with both my fists out of frustration. I'm sure if I just let Ryou in, I would just forget about Marik. But… That's what I'm afraid of. I don't want to forget him. There's no logical explanation to this, but I just don't want to forget him. Ever.

I need to clear my head. I should look at my deck and prepare myself for tomorrow's match. Now that I think about it, I don't even know anything about Keith other that he's not the most likeable person. My deck right now can handle most cases. But most is still not enough. Problem is I made the best possible deck out of the cards that I have. No, there must be other combinations. I'll try to make an even better deck, even if it's by just one card.

Since my deck heavily focuses on removing cards from play, I need to add more things that accelerate that process… That's it!

_Outside POV_

Akia worked on her deck for a few hours, before calling it a day. She took the Glory of the King's Opposite Hand that Mai gave her and tucked it under her pillow. She also took her deck and put it on the nightstand that was right next to her bed. She took her millennium scale and stared at it for a bit. She never thought she would ever use it so much. Granted, she only used it when she found it was necessary, but she was starting to become desensitized to the harm that she caused her victims. She definitely won't need to use it in the next matches, since they were monitored by Pegasus himself along with his bodyguards. That relieved her, making her feel a bit less guilty about what she did previously. She just hoped that the effects were temporary. They were on the Spirit of the Ring, but maybe he's a special case.

As she was thinking that, the millennium scale lit up. Akia then felt a presence behind her. She quickly turned around and found someone that she never thought she would see again.

"…Shadi…?"

He looked exactly the same as when she saw him when she was a kid. That didn't make sense to her. How could still look the same after all these years?

Shadi: "The vessel of the Red Eyes Black Dragon, Akia. You were having some regrets about your use of the millennium scale."

"Ah! Yes, but… how did you get here?"

Shadi: "I am not of the physical world. For years now, I've been wandering the earth for one purpose."

"Wait, are you saying that you're dead?"

Shadi: "I've been dead for centuries, yes."

"How come… what's that purpose?"

Shadi: "All will be answered in due time. As for the millennium scale, it traps people's souls. The wielder then has complete control over these souls."

Akia looked at the millennium scale with a terrified look. She really did take their souls.

"I… So I basically… killed them…"

Shadi: "No, they are just in a state of unconsciousness. However, if they stay in that state for too long, they will eventually die."

"I have to… to do something to help!"

Akia was frantic. It was not her intention at all to put people's lives in danger. She just assumed that it couldn't be that bad. Maybe it was just her wishful thinking, something that could put her consciousness to rest.

Shadi: "Like I said, you have complete control over their souls, therefore you can release them if you wish, or you can keep them trapped."

Akia's face instantly brightened at that sudden ray of hope.

"So I can help them then! How do I release them?"

Shadi: "Just concentrate on your item and what you want it to do."

"Oh, of course…!"

Akia then closed her eyes and held her millennium scale close. She then felt something getting released, then another… The two souls that she took away were restored.

"Thank you so much, Shadi, I also wanted to ask…"

When Akia opened her eyes, no one was there.

"…about Marik."

She looked around, confused at this whole situation. Did Shadi appear just to help her out, or was there another purpose? Unbeknownst to her, Shadi was always keeping an eye on all the wielders of the millennium items. He would rarely intervene, considering that his mission was only to inform those individuals of their true fate at the right time.

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**I was actually going to do a really annoying move by cutting it of at where Akia says "...Shadi...?" Or like right before that sentence. Then, I felt like a lot of people would be pretty annoyed with that so I chose not to leave it at such a cliffhanger XD**

**Anyway if you enjoyed, please review! :D**


	22. Underhanded Methods

**This took me forever to write! Writing duels is probably the hardest, but funnest part for me XD**

**I hope you guys enjoy this :D**

**So, of course I use the Duelist Kingdom's rules, and, also, some cards' effects were a bit modified to fit the conditions of the rules. Don't worry, I didn't make a mistake because I didn't know the card, it was intentional :D**

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Chapter 22: Underhanded Methods

The next day, everyone gathered at the same place where Kaiba met his defeat. Pegasus was now sitting on a chair, across from where Yugi and the others stood overlooking the dueling arena below.

Yugi: "Well, here we are. This is where everything will be resolved. Akia, we can't afford to lose… For grandpa's sake."

Akia, looking as determined as her brother, nodded.

"You can count on me, Yugi. One of us will be the one who faces Pegasus and will win."

Pegasus' bodyguard, who was standing right next to him, drew everyone's attention by announcing the start of the finals. Pegasus then spoke up.

Pegasus: "The first match will be between Keith Howard and little miss Mutou Akia."

Jounouchi: "Go get that bastard, Akia. I mean, I wish I was the one against him, but I know you'll wipe the floor with him just like how I wanted to do it."

"Don't worry about it, Jounouchi. Whatever grudge you have against him, I'll resolve it today. It'll be a total victory for me."

Akia and Keith then made their way down to the arena. They were now standing face to face at both ends of the dueling arena. Pegasus requested them to show their prize cards. Keith showed Glory of the King's Hand, while Akia showed Glory of the King's Opposite Hand.

Keith: "Heh, don't cry too hard when I beat you, little girl."

Akia just looked at him with uninterested eyes. That annoyed Keith, since she wasn't giving him any reaction.

Keith: "What's with that look, huh? You think you can just get away with disrespecting me like that?"

"Why should I give any respect to a stepping stone?"

Keith: "What did you just say…?!"

Jounouchi: "Woah… Now I know not to get on Akia's bad side."

Yugi: "Yeah… She kind of has a very sharp tongue."

Mai: "A girl should always have some spunk."

Mai was feeling proud of Akia. During the time they spent together, she felt like Akia was almost like a little sister to her. It was rare for her to actually root for someone, but she wanted Akia to win this with all her heart.

Bakura: "That makes her so cute…"

Bakura mumbled that so that no one heard him. He really found Akia irresistibly adorable, especially when she was trying not to be.

"Will you start the duel already?"

Keith: "Grr… I'll make you regret every word you said. I draw!"

Everyone's attention then focused on the duel.

_'__We'll see what you're made of, Keith Howard. This is a golden chance for me to try out my improved deck.'_

Keith: "I will set a monster and end my turn."

_'__He's planning something… Last night I added a second Banisher of the Light as well as a Banisher of Radiance in my deck, and I still didn't draw any of them. Let's hope it's the next card.'_

"So now it's my turn. I draw!"

_'__Damn it… There's still a chance, though. I drew Pot of Greed so that should help.'_

Akia looked at her card then turned her gaze to her opponent.

"I use my spell card: Pot of Greed!"

Keith: "That's just another way of saying that you have nothing that's worth it in your current hand."

Akia didn't pay him any attention yet again and drew two cards from her deck, according to her spell card's effect.

Keith: "Hey! Don't ignore me you little bitch!"

Akia looked at the cards she drew.

_'__I know what he's looking for is a reaction from me. If I don't give him any, he'll become agitated and frustrated. That can make him do a mistake in his card play. Now let's see here… I got it! Good.'_

"I set a card facedown in defence position. I will also set one card facedown."

_'__Just in case…'_

"With that, I end my turn."

Keith: "You're going down, you little piece of shit. I draw!"

Akia smiled at how worked up Keith was getting.

Keith: "You won't have that smirk on your face after I do this!"

He reached for his facedown card.

Keith: "I flip summon my monster! Say hello to Pendulum Machine (1750/2000)!"

A hologram of a machine-like monster materializes on Keith's side of the field.

Yugi: "Such a powerful monster right from the start…"

Anzu: "I'm so worried about Akia… Keith is such a… brute!"

Jounouchi: "Akia said that she'll win, and I'm putting all my faith in her. I know she'll win."

Mai: "That's right. You guys haven't seen her duel that much. I've seen most of her duels on this island. When she's serious, nobody can ever stand in her way."

Akia was looking at Keith's monster, waiting for it to attack.

_'__Come on, attack me!'_

Keith: "Pendulum Machine, attack her puny facedown card!"

Pendulum machine attacked Akia's facedown monster, revealing it to be Banisher of the Light (100/2000). Due to its superior defence points compared to Pendulum machine's attack, Banisher of the Light wasn't destroyed and counterattacked with his light.

_'__Wait, what…?'_

Akia looked at Keith's Life Points, confused at what they displayed.

"Why didn't you lose any Life Points? According to my monster's superior defence, you should lose 250 points."

Keith chuckled.

Keith: "Did you really think I'd go down that easily? My machine monsters are all made of a special metal. They can't be destroyed by magic or non-physical attacks."

"I see…"

_'__Well, that means that normal attacks won't work. All of my monsters use magic attacks. Gren Maju Da Eiza, no matter how strong it gets, won't even scratch these things.'_

Keith: "Haha! Giving up yet?"

"Are you done with your turn?"

Once more, Akia completely dismissed Keith's snarky remarks.

Keith: "Tch. Yeah, I am. Bitch."

_'__He keeps calling me bitch… That's when you know that he has nothing better to say.'_

Akia brought her hand to her deck, drawing her next card.

"I will set a facedown and then I will activate my spell card: Card Destruction! This card requires that we both discard our entire hand and draw the same number of cards discarded. Since my Banisher of the Light is face up on the field, all of our discarded cards are removed from play."

Keith: "What…?!"

_Keith POV_

I can't believe all of my cards are going to be discarded! My Barrel Dragon (2600/2200) is going to be removed from play for this whole game! Well, I've still got more cards up my sleeve. I discard the six cards I've been holding and she does the same. We both draw six cards after that. Heh, you pitiful idiot, you just accelerated your own end.

_Outside POV_

"I set a facedown monster and end my turn."

Keith: "Another facedown? What? Too chicken to fight me head on?"

"Do you have to make unnecessary remarks at every single turn? We would be done by now if you stopped wasting time."

Keith's expression twisted with frustration.

Yugi: "She really likes to take it a notch too far…"

Jounouchi: "Man, I actually feel a bit bad for Keith."

Anzu: "Yeah, you go girl!"

Honda: "Women are so scary…"

Pegasus was also watching this with amusement. He really found it quite entertaining to see someone like her with such an interesting character.

Keith: "Shut your damn mouth, bitch! I draw! Prepare to meet your end. I summon Slot Machine (2000/2300) in attack mode!"

A slot machine robot appears on the field.

"What are you trying to accomplish with only 2000 attack points?"

_'__Take that trump card of yours out. I'll finish it off along with your Slot Machine.'_

Keith: "You know what a jackpot is? Well, considering how you're still a minor, I doubt it."

"Get to the point."

Keith: "Sheesh, I'm getting to it! My point is that there are three 7 Completed cards that are required to complete a jackpot. Of course, wouldn't that be almost impossible to do in one duel?"

Akia remained silent.

Keith: "…Well, you're lucky, since you will survive this turn. For now, I'll just use my Slot Machine to destroy your facedown monster card."

Keith's monster strikes Akia's facedown and destroys it. Akia then smiled brightly that it took Keith by surprise. It was the first time he saw her smile like that.

"Great, you activated my monster's flip effect!"

Keith: "…What…?"

Akia took her monster card and showed it to Keith.

"The card you just destroyed is Needle Worm. Its effect is to send the first five cards of your deck to the graveyard. In other words, your top five cards are going to be removed from play, thanks to my Banisher of the Light."

Keith: "Kuh… What's the point of removing all the cards from play…?"

Keith took the top five cards of his deck and removed them from play.

"I wonder what the point is…"

Akia still kept her smile.

Keith: "Whatever… I'll put a card facedown and end my turn."

Jounouchi: "What is she smiling about…? Keith has the stronger monsters on his side. Isn't she worried? How is she going to handle them?"

Yugi: "Wait… I get it!"

Jounouchi: "Really?! What is she planning?"

Mai: "Yeah, I think I know what's about to happen too."

Jounouchi: "What's about to happen?"

Yugi giggled at Jounouchi's cluelessness.

Yugi: "You'll see."

Bakura: "I really so wonder myself what her strategy is. I don't remember ever seeing her duel before."

Everyone's attention then went back to the duel, since Akia was now drawing her card.

"I play the spell card Hand Destruction. We both discard two cards and draw two cards."

Bakura: "I think I'm starting to see a pattern here…"

Jounouchi: "What pattern? Why does everyone get it except me?"

Honda: "Don't worry man, I'm as clueless as you…"

Jounouchi: "But you're not even a duelist! I don't want to be compared to you!"

Anzu: "Stop it, guys! Focus on the duel!"

Akia then looked at her hand.

"I'm not done yet! I play my next spell card: Dark World Dealings. We each draw a card, then discard a card."

Jounouchi: "Again? What is she trying to do?"

Keith was getting worked up. It was getting on his nerves that he didn't know where this was all going.

"I'll then put three face-downs and set a monster facedown. That'll end my turn."

Keith: "This whole duel you haven't even attacked me once! How do you even plan on winning this?"

"There's more than one winning method."

Keith: "You're absolutely right… I draw."

Keith smirked. As he was reaching to draw a card, he took one out of his wristband and made it look as if it was the one he drew from his deck. Everyone was oblivious to it, except for Pegasus. However, he decided against pointing it out, since he wanted to see the outcome of the duel. If Keith won, he would kick him out due to cheating. If he lost, then it'll make his humiliation even bigger.

Keith: "Heh, am I lucky or what?"

Keith then revealed the card that he "drew". It was one of the three 7 Completed spell cards.

Keith: "I guess I'll just use this now. I equip it to my Slot Machine, which gives my monster a 700 attack point boost!"

Jounouchi: "Its attack is now 2700! He's going to take out Akia's Banisher of the Light!"

Just as Jounouchi predicted, Keith was planning to target the Banisher of the Light and get rid of it for good.

Keith: "Say goodbye to that annoying monster of yours! Slot Machine, attack!"

"Not so fast! I activate my trap card: Shift!"

Jounouchi: "That card looks a lot like the one you used against Mei and Kyu in the labyrinth, Yugi."

Yugi: "They are similar, but their use is a bit different. The card I used was Monster Replace."

Everyone was looking at Akia, waiting for her to explain what she was using this card for.

"This trap card allows me to redirect your attack to one of my other monsters. I choose my facedown monster."

Slot Machine's attack then immediately turned to the facedown monster that Akia had set. It destroyed it, but…

Keith: "Tch! Another one of those pests?"

"You know what comes next right? My Needle Worm's effect activates, so now you have to send the top five cards to the graveyard, or, in this case, remove them from play."

Keith: "Yes! I get it!"

Keith was downright angry at this point. Even though he felt that he was clearly at an advantage with his stronger monsters, there was something that was threatening him. It was the fact that Akia looked so undisturbed and confident. It's as if she already felt like she had this duel in the bag.

Keith: "I summon Zoa (2600/1900)! Now watch and learn about what real power is! I activate my facedown: Magic Metal Force. I'll equip that to Zoa, which transforms it into Metalzoa (3000/2300)! Now just try to take this down! Since I can only attack one each turn, I'll end it here. Next turn, you're done!"

Akia's smile faded. She felt like she'd done everything she could.

"I draw. I'll pass my turn."

Jounouchi: "Oh no… Is it getting too much for her? I mean, look how strong that monster is…"

Yugi looked at his sister. When he did, he understood everything and remained silent.

Keith: "Haha! I knew you'd break at some point! You're already admitting defeat! Well, that's too bad! I draw! I'll attack your Banisher of the Light with my Metalzoa! Metalzoa has the special ability of reflecting all magic attacks back at the caster. Since your Banisher is in defence mode and his defence points are 2000, you will lose as soon as I destroy it!"

Jounouchi: "No…!"

Honda: "It can't end like that?!"

Anzu: "I can't watch…!"

Akia's smile then returned as she reached for one of her two remaining face-downs.

"Did you really think I'd let you win just like that? I activate my trap: Dimensional Prison. I can only activate this when my opponent declares an attack. This allows me to remove from play your attacking monster. This means: bye bye Metalzoa."

Keith's mouth went agape and he stared speechless at his monster getting sucked in the banishing vortex.

Jounouchi: "D-Don't scare me like that…!"

Mai: "Way to go, Akia!"

Keith's hands were trembling from the unexpected turn of events.

Keith: "S-So what?! I can still get you next turn!"

Akia giggled.

"There won't be a next turn. Remember my last facedown?"

Akia reached for her last uncovered card and flipped it.

"I activate my second trap card: Different Dimension Dynamite!"

A giant clump of dynamites with a timer in the middle materialized on the field.

"Can you count how many dynamites there are?"

Keith: "W-Why does that even matter?"

"Well, for each one, you will lose 100 Life Points. Do you know what they're based on? The cards that were removed from play since the start of this game."

Keith's hand dropped the cards he was holding. He was in shock at what Akia just said. His mind didn't want to process it.

Jounouchi: "Wait… How many cards were removed?"

"Let's count together now. Ten of your cards were removed from play due to my two Needle Worms. Then, six were removed due to Card Destruction. After that there're two that were removed thanks to Hand Destruction. Are you following me until now?"

Honda: "That makes eighteen cards until now."

"After that, there was Dark World Dealings, that made both of us discard one card. Finally, your Metalzoa was just now removed from play along with the card you equipped it with. That makes a total of 21 cards. More than enough to take you out in one shot."

Keith: "T-This can't be happening!"

"Oh, look at the timer. It's time for a countdown. 5, 4, 3…"

Everyone was watching, breathless, as the countdown on the dynamite counted. Only Akia's voice was heard.

"2, 1, boom!"

On cue, all the dynamites exploded and Keith lost all of his Life Points.

Bakura: "That was incredible…"

Jounouchi: "She didn't attack even once this entire duel!"

Keith was still in shock over what had just happened. Pegasus, on the other hand, was thrilled with how entertaining the first duel in the finals was.

Pegasus: "Well, the clear winner of this spectacular duel is Akia. Congratulations, you deserved it."

Keith: "This duel is void…! She clearly cheated! How else could everything go so conveniently for her?!"

Everyone then stared at Keith in disgust.

Pegasus: "Should I remind you, Mr. Howard, that you are the one who pulled that 7 Completed card from your wristband?"

"You did what…?! I knew you were an asshole, but that's just plain cowardice!"

Keith: "Sh-Shut up! I'm sick of you berating me, you little brat!"

Pegasus: "And might I add that the qualification card that you presented in the beginning of the duel was stolen from Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi: "Wait, what…?!"

Jounouchi checked his pockets and found out that the card was indeed missing.

Jounouchi: "You snake!"

Pegasus: "Take that cheater away."

Pegasus' guards then came out to kick Keith out, but, in a fit of rage, he knocked them out. He then leapt to where Pegasus was seated and pointed a gun at him.

Keith: "You're the snake! After how you humiliated me in front of everyone that time, do you think I was just going to let that go? Now, if you want to live, give me the prize money or… Waaaaa…!"

As he was threatening Pegasus, the latter pressed a button on the floor and activated a trap on the ground which sent Keith down a tunnel and out in the ocean. Akia gasped a little. She wondered if Keith was going to be okay. Even though she doesn't stand him one bit, she would never hope for him to lose his life.

Pegasus: "Now that this little incident is taken care of, let's have a short break then move on to the next match."

* * *

**So, as I said, the card rules were modified sometimes. Like for D. , it was actually a damage of 300 Life Points per card removed from play, but I made it 100 since they only have 2000 Life Points to begin with.**

**If you enjoyed, please review! Thank you :D**


	23. A Not So Peaceful Break

**This is a much shorter chapter, since there aren't any card games being described XD**

**I still hope you guys enjoy it, because I actually rewrote it because I thought that I went way too far... Anyway, enjoy :D**

* * *

Chapter 23: A Not So Peaceful Break

Mai: "That's my girl! You totally showed him who's boss."

Jounouchi then joined in and took a card out.

Jounouchi: "And, I got my qualification card back from that cheater!"

As everyone was congratulating her, Bakura stood at a bit of a distance. The Evil Spirit was taking over once more. After the duel against Yugi, it took him a while to recover. Now he actually also wanted to congratulate Akia, but he didn't want to admit it. If he was going to do it, then it wouldn't be in front of everyone.

"Man, this duel made me hungry. I'm going to go eat something."

Jounouchi: "Alright, we'll stay here and watch the next match."

"It's Yugi and Mai-san, isn't it?"

Yugi and Mai both nodded.

"You two do your best! I'm rooting for both of you. No matter the outcome, I don't think I'll be too disappointed."

After some more encouragement thrown at the contestants' way, Akia headed out. Bakura, now completely possessed by the Spirit of the Ring, followed her.

As they got further away from the crowd, Bakura picked up his pace and caught up with her. Surprised to see him there, Akia came to a full stop. Since that hug he gave her, she couldn't really look him straight in the face.

"Ryou…!"

No it wasn't Ryou. Akia just needed a glance at his face to know that she was in fact dealing with the Spirit of the Ring.

"You… What is it?"

She didn't resent him, however. She talked to him in a soft voice. Her voice warmed his heart. He knew that, if he lost control, he would probably pin her to the wall and have his way with her. However, he mustn't allow himself to succumb to such lowly desires.

Bakura: "Your duel. It was impressive. You're much fiercer than you look."

He did see one of her duels before, but this one was especially spectacular. The way she handled a brute like Keith was something that even impressed him. He was taking a liking to her.

Akia blushed at the compliment. She smiled and lowered her gaze to the floor.

"Th-Thank you… I just did what I had to do…"

She giggled softly.

_Bakura's POV_

Why is she acting like that? It's like she's asking for it! Stop tempting me… Stop looking so damn defenceless!

"Um, if you want… do you want to grab something to eat with me?"

She just asked me to eat with her? I mean… Why not? I was feeling a little hungry myself.

"Sure. Let's go."

I take her by the wrist and drag her to dining room, where there's always food on the table, replaced every hour or two. The problem is, there's always people eating there. I don't like the company. Strangely enough, I notice that Akia isn't resisting my grip on her wrist at all. She doesn't mind it? Does this mean that… I can go further?

Before I could even think, my body acts on its own. My hand slides down from her wrist and holds her hand. I can't even look at her face to see her reaction… Her hand is just as cold as ever. She's not resisting that either, so I guess she's probably enjoying it. I feel a smile form on my face. Why am I enjoying it so much? I have to get my mind off of this.

"Hey, what do you want to eat?"

I finally look at her. Her face is bright red. She's holding her free hand curled up next to her chest. She seems so nervous. Why…?

"Oh! We're not eating here?"

Her voice is shaking too. She looks so… cute.

"No, it's too crowded."

_Outside POV_

Bakura then filled two plates of what he wanted and what Akia told him to add. He then put down the plates.

Bakura: "Wait here, I'll go get some drinks."

"Alright…"

The drinks were all the way in a corner of the gigantic dining room. As Akia stood there alone, she noticed just how many men were actually there. They were all dressed up like the bodyguards she saw with Pegasus. They were probably off duty for a bit. She then noticed them all looking at her. Some of them were even smiling at her in a very creepy way.

_'__Why do I feel so uncomfortable…?'_

One of them got up and got closer to her. He then looked her up and down.

"Can I help you with anything?"

Akia tried to add a hostile note to her voice.

"You're one of the contestants aren't you? Didn't know such cute young girls would be participating."

Another one of the bodyguards got up and stood behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Whaddya say we have some fun together?"

Bakura: "Akia."

Seeing what was happening, Bakura had hurried back to where Akia was. He called her name to distract everyone's attention. As soon as everyone's eyes left her, Akia ran to Bakura's side.

"Hey, hey, no need to look so pissed, buddy, we were just having a nice little chat."

Bakura: "Get out of my sight before I lose what little mercy I have left."

Bakura's voice was so menacing that it even made Akia's hairs stand.

"Tch, whatever. We need to get back to our duties anyway…"

The fact was that, even though they didn't want to admit it, they just wanted to get away from Bakura. He had a very dark and menacing aura, more than Akia had ever felt him have. When they left, Akia got out from behind Bakura.

Akia: "Um, thanks…"

Bakura's eyes softened. He felt his rage almost completely disappear when he looked at Akia's shy smile.

Bakura: "Didn't you want to eat?"

"Oh, yeah! Let's eat!"

By the time they went back to the dueling arena, Yugi was winning. He sent the final blow and Mai lost the duel. Akia asked Jounouchi to fill her in on the highlights of the duel. While he was explaining, Pegasus then started talking.

Pegasus: "Without further ado, we will proceed to the second match of the second block: Yugi Mutou vs Katsuya Jounouchi."

"Good luck out there, I'm rooting for both of you."

_'__I just didn't want to see both of you fight each other when you both have such important things you need to win for… Where did Mai go? She should be here by now…'_

"Hey, I'm going to go look for Mai."

Bakura: "I'm coming with you."

"No, you wait here. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable…"

Bakura looked at Akia for a while and then let out a sigh. She knew then that he wouldn't follow her. She went after Mai and the duel between Jounouchi and Yugi began.

* * *

**So about going too far, I mean that I actually made the men pin Akia down and then I had Bakura punish all of them XD but then I thought that it would be pretty unlikely to happen, considering Pegasus would've probably fired them when he figured it out or something like that. Anyway, I tamed it down, and I'm not too disappointed with how it came out!**

**As always, thank you for reading, and please review :D**


	24. The Beginning of an Epic Battle

**Alright... I know it's VERY short, but you'll understand why when you read what I have to say at the end XD**

**I hope you still enjoy this :D**

* * *

Chapter 24: The Beginning of an Epic Battle

When Akia and Bakura got back, the duel between Yugi and Mai was in its final turn. Yugi sent the finishing blow and won the duel.

Pegasus: "Without further ado, let's start the next duel. Mutou Yugi vs Jounouchi Katsuya."

After Mai left the arena, she didn't come back. Akia was getting worried. Akia stayed for while, watching the duel between Yugi and Jounouchi. After a few turns however, she was really noticing Mai's absence.

"Hey guys, I'm going to go check on Mai-san."

Bakura: "I'll come with you."

The Spirit of the ring wanted to always be beside her. He didn't care for what, he just always wanted to be close.

"Sorry, Bakura, but I think I should go alone for this."

With that, she left Bakura behind. She started going towards the place Mai came out from.

"Where is she…?"

Akia kept walking around until she spotted the blonde woman.

"Mai-san!"

When Mai heard Akia's voice, she stopped walking and turned around.

Mai: "Akia-chan? Why are you here? You're not going to watch your brother's match?"

"That can wait. What's more important is how you're doing, Mai-san."

Mai looked surprised at Akia's words. No one had ever cared much for her feelings.

Mai: "You… You were worried about me?"

"Of course, Mai-san! I mean… I do think of you as a close friend."

Mai: "Friend…"

Mai smiled. Akia and her group of friends were very odd. At first, she openly disliked all of them, especially Jounouchi. But now, it was different. She really enjoyed being around all of them. She just didn't know if they felt the same way.

"Why didn't come back? I was looking forward to seeing the duel with you."

Mai: "Well, I did lose, so I thought there really was no point in me staying here any longer than I have to."

"But there is a reason! You should stay because I want you to."

Mai: "You really want me to stay?"

Akia nodded. Mai smiled.

Mai: "Then I guess I will."

"Great! Let's go back in there then!"

Akia took Mai's hand and dragged her back to the arena. By the time they reached, Yugi had given the final blow, which brought Jounouchi's life points to 0.

Mai: "Jounouchi…"

Even though he lost, he had a smile on his face. It was a satisfying duel for him where both him and Yugi gave their all.

Pegasus: "Finally, the final round! Will the finalists please come to the arena? Mutou Yugi and Mutou Akia. It promises to be a very interesting battle."

"Oh! It's my turn!"

Mai: "Show us a great duel out there, Akia."

Akia held her deck firmly.

"I'll fight with everything I have. Whether I win or lose, I'll be satisfied with the results."

_'__Because we're both after the same thing.'_

On her way to the arena, Akia bumped into Jounouchi.

"Jounouchi."

Jounouchi: "Akia… I look forward to your duel."

"The prize money. Either me or Yugi will get it to you."

Jounouchi: "You don't have to-"

"It's not for your sake; it's for your sister's sake."

Jounouchi then nodded.

Jounouchi: "Then I'll swallow my pride for this one. Thanks, Akia."

Akia grinned.

"Prepare to witness an epic duel!"

With that she headed inside the arena and took her spot.

Pegasus: "Since both of you wish to duel me, the loser of this match will get the prize money. The winner will advance and have the chance to challenge me for the title of King, or Queen, of games. It's a win-win situation, don't you think?"

Akia and Yugi looked at each other from across the platform. Akia knew very well that, this time, she wasn't dueling against her brother, but against the spirit of the millennium puzzle. It was going to be the toughest duel yet. She was fully prepared, however, for whatever the other Yugi was going to throw at her. It was going to be a close fight. A very close fight.

"This will be interesting, don't you think?"

Yugi smiled.

Yugi: "I look forward to dueling you, for real this time."

"Considering I never actually duelled against you, I'm really looking forward to this."

Yugi: "Let me just warn you that it will be completely different from the times you duelled against aibou. I won't go easy on you."

"I don't expect you to. Actually, I want you to go all out, or you won't stand a chance."

Yugi: "Alright then…"

"DUEL"

They both said it together and drew their first five cards. It was about to be one of the most intense duels yet.

* * *

**Alright, after this short read, I'll explain why I stopped it there. So, I wanted you guys' opinion on something. For the outcome of this duel, I wanted to know if you guys prefer Yugi winning, like in the canon, or if you would like Akia to win this. Now what that implies is that, if Yugi wins, it'll follow how the original story went. If Akia wins, however, she will face Pegasus. If that happens, there will be certain differences in the duel (obviously) against Pegasus. This might give an opportunity to explore Akia's past life a tiny bit. If the majority votes for me to follow the main story, then tiny bit about her past will be revealed a bit later.**

**So yeah, I thought it would be fun to involve you guys in my decision for the next chapter. So just tell me who you want to win, and I'll do what the majority wants! So just write it in the reviews for this chapter :D Thank you!**


	25. Fierce Battle

**This was so painful and hard to write... Man, duels are so long to strategize! Anyway, I hope it's interesting enough :D I took all the votes into consideration. I did get PMs as well as reviews, so here's the result!**

**You guys will find out when you read :D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 25: Fierce Battle

"I draw!"

Everyone held their breath in, waiting for the first move. The tension could be felt in the air. Both Yugi and Akia were amazing duelists and their aura was almost palpable. Akia was about to play the first turn. She looked at her hand, carefully planning what was the best way she could play her first move. She had to be careful. She wasn't facing her brother this time, but the spirit of the puzzle. This was going to be the most difficult duel yet.

"I'll put a card facedown and a monster card in facedown defence position. I'll end my turn at that."

_'__It wouldn't be smart to start off with an offensive. I should protect my life points for the time being.'_

The other Yugi then reached for his deck and drew his card.

Jounouchi: "Man, we're not even past the second turn and I'm getting all worked up watching this."

Mai: "They both aren't just any ordinary duelists. Even I can't predict the outcome."

The other Yugi quickly scanned through the cards in his hand and decided on his first move.

Yugi: "I'll also lay a facedown. I'll then summon the Feral Imp in attack mode. With it, I will attack your facedown defence monster."

The other Yugi knew that it was risky to attack, but he wanted to test the grounds. His Feral Imp attacked Akia's monster, which was revealed to be Ancient Jar (400/200). Due to its weak defence, it was instantly destroyed by Yugi's monster and sent to the graveyard. Akia was actually a bit surprised by Yugi's boldness. The Yugi she was used to duelling was always very passive and defensive until the right moment. This one's play style was way more aggressive.

Yugi: "I'll end my turn."

"I draw!"

Akia looked at her hand and contemplated her next move. She had to be careful, but she also had to match her opponent's aggressiveness.

"I summon Armoured Lizard (1500/1200) in attack position. I'll attack your Feral Imp with my monster!"

Yugi: "Not so fast! I activate Horn of the Unicorn, which boosts my monster's attack by 700 points, making it strong enough to counterattack."

Akia frowned. It was too late for her to take back her attack. She reached for her facedown, even though she wasn't planning on using it this early.

"I won't let that happen. I activate Reinforcements! This trap card gives my monster 500 attack points."

Anzu: "Now the two monsters have equal attacks of 2000!"

As a result, when the two monsters clashed, they destroyed each other, resulting in both of them being sent to the graveyard and no Life Points were lost.

Mai: "The two of them are equally matched. I can't tell at all what'll happen."

Both Yugi and Akia's fields were completely empty.

"I'll put two cards facedown. I will then play hand destruction! We both discard all of the cards in our hand to the graveyard and draw the same number of discarded cards from our graveyard."

Akia discarded the two cards in her hand and drew two cards from her deck. Yugi did the same with his four cards, then drew four more from his deck.

_'__I need to get one of my key monsters to hurry up and start removing cards from play. Even with hand destruction, I still didn't get what I need. I'll have to wait for the next turn.'_

"I'll end my turn with that."

Yugi: "I draw!"

The other Yugi, without much hesitation, reached for one of the cards in his hand.

Yugi: "First, I'll activate the spell card: Heavy Storm."

"No way! I didn't know you had that!"

Jounouchi looked at Mai with a confused face.

Jounouchi: "Heavy Storm?"

Mai sighed.

Mai: "Don't tell me you never heard of it. It's a rare card that most duelists dream of having. It's very similar to Harpy's Feather Duster. It's a spell card that destroys all spell and trap cards on the field."

Just as Mai said, Akia's two facedown cards are destroyed and sent to the field.

_'__Great… He destroyed my Sakuretsu Armour and my D.D. Dynamite.'_

Akia was planning on using the same strategy that she used against Keith, but Yugi outsmarted her.

Yugi: "I knew you'd be more of a challenge if I didn't use my most powerful cards in this duel. I'll place a monster in defence position and place a card facedown. I end my turn."

"I draw. I use the spell card: Graceful Charity. This card allows me to draw three cards, then discard two cards."

Akia was hoping that, in those three cards she would draw, that one of the Banishers would be there. Sure enough, she finally ended up drawing the Banisher of the Light. Her face then instantly lit up.

"Lucky! I'll summon my Banisher of the Light (100/2000) in defence position! I'll also place a card facedown. Then, I'll activate the spell card: Nobleman of Crossout. This spell card allows me to destroy a facedown monster and remove it from play! I choose your facedown monster!"

Yugi's monster, Sangan (1000/600) is destroyed and removed from play. As a result of its destruction, Yugi lost half its attack points, 500 points, from his Life Points. This brought them down to 1500 points.

Yugi: "Nicely done."

"You still haven't seen what I've got planned for you. I end my turn for now."

Yugi smirked. He was thoroughly enjoying this duel. Even after observing Akia play for so long from her brother's point of view, she was still unpredictable.

Yugi: "I draw. I'll summon Curse of Dragon (2000/1500)! I'll then end my turn."

Since Curse of Dragon's attack was the same as the Banisher of the Light's defence, Yugi didn't attack.

"My turn; I draw. I'll summon my D.D. Warrior (1200/1000) in attack position!"

_'__This will be risky… But I have to get rid of his Curse of Dragon before he can power it up.'_

"I'll attack your Curse of Dragon with my D.D. Warrior!"

Jounouchi: "What?! Her monster is so much weaker than Yugi's! Is she losing it?"

Bakura: "Didn't that card of hers have a special effect? I'm sure Akia is thinking smartly about this."

The Spirit of the Ring just couldn't help but root for Akia's victory. Just as Akia's D.D. Warrior was about to clash, Yugi reached for his facedown.

Yugi: "I know what you're up to, and I won't let you. I use my trap card: Spellbinding Circle!"

A ritual-like circle envelops Akia's monster and immobilizes it.

"No…!"

Akia had a feeling that the facedown card that Yugi had was important, but she chose to ignore her instincts and attack. If she had something in her hand, she would've destroyed that facedown first, but she didn't have any card that would help. She also didn't want to risk waiting, in case Yugi got a card that was strong enough to destroy her Banisher.

Yugi: "You were planning on removing my monster from play, along with your monster. You didn't mind taking a bit of damage, as long as you got my Curse of Dragon. This rashness led to your undoing. Now, your D.D. Warrior is immobilized. It can't attack, or change its battle position. In addition to this, it loses 700 attack points, bringing them down to 500."

"Damn…"

_'__I knew I should've been more careful…'_

Akia looked at the only card in her hand. She knew that it would be risky if she left her D.D. Warrior defenceless.

"I'll put a card facedown and end my turn."

Yugi: "I thought you would be much more careful than this. I draw. This might be the end of this duel. I summon Gaia The Fierce Knight (2300/2100) in attack position! I will then use Polymerization to fuse Curse of Dragon with Gaia!"

Akia watched as both of Yugi's monsters fused together.

Yugi: "Say hello to Gaia the Dragon Champion (2600/2100)."

Akia knew what Yugi was about to do. He was going to attack her weakened D.D. Warrior and end the duel in one attack.

Yugi: "You probably guessed what I'm about to do. I'll attack your D.D. Warrior and end this duel. Gaia, attack!"

"No way am I going to let this duel end so fast! I activate my trap card: Waboku! This card prevents any battle damage dealt to me during this turn. In other words, my D.D. Warrior is safe."

Yugi: "But that's not all, is it…"

"Yup. Remember its effect? It still applies since there was a battle between it and another monster. In other words, both your Gaia the Dragon Champion and my D.D. Warrior are removed from play."

The other Yugi looked a bit shocked for the first time in the duel.

Yugi: "I see you're not done fighting."

"The duel isn't over until one person loses. I won't ever give up in a duel."

Yugi then reached for the only card left in his hand.

Yugi: "For now, I'll play Swords of Revealing Lights, preventing you from attacking for three turns. I end my turn."

"Alright, I draw! I'll just end my turn for now."

Yugi drew a card as well and ended his turn without playing any card.

Jounouchi: "This is killing me! Why do they both keep skipping their turn like that?!"

Mai: "Well, both of them didn't really have any cards left in their hands. I'm sure they each have a strategy that they're just waiting for."

Once more, during her turn, Akia drew a card and didn't play anything.

Yugi: "I draw. I play Pot of Greed, which allows me to draw two more cards from my deck."

After a brief moment to look at his cards, Yugi took one of them and put it facedown on the field.

Yugi: "I'll end my turn."

"I draw! Time to finally play something. I activate my spell card: Hand Destruction. This card forces us both to discard two cards from our hand and draw two other cards from our respective decks."

Since both of them had only two cards in their hands, they discarded their hand and drew two cards from their deck.

"I'll then also play Pot of Greed!"

Akia then drew two cards from her deck.

"I'll put a monster in facedown defence position."

Akia then reached for yet another card in her hand.

"Alright, this is the last thing for this turn. I play the spell card: Soul Release!"

Jounouchi: "Soul Release? Isn't her D.D. Dynamite gone? What good will removing Yugi's cards do?"

Honda: "Wow, you actually paid attention during the duel."

Jounouchi: "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Mai: "Shh, this is getting interesting!"

Bringing their attention back to the duel, they observed what Akia was about to do with Soul Release.

"Using Soul Release, I'll remove from play five cards from my own graveyard. Finally, I'll summon my very dear Gren Maju Da Eiza (?/?)! It gains attack and defence equal to the number of my cards that were removed from play multiplied by 400. Since I have thirteen cards that were removed from play, it gains 5200 attack and defence points! I'll then end my turn with that."

Jounouchi: "5200?! That could completely wipe out Yugi's Life Points with one attack!"

When Akia ended her turn, the Swords of Revealing Light disappeared from the field.

Yugi: "I guess it's finally time to go all out. I draw. I summon Black Magician (2500/2000) in attack mode!"

Jounouchi: "There it is! Yugi's Black Magician!"

Yugi only had one card left in his hand. The odds were completely against him, but he knew that there still was one way to get through this.

Yugi: "I play the spell card: Fissure. This destroys the monster on your side of the field that has the least defence, namely your Banisher of the Light."

A hand came out of the field's ground and dragged Akia's monster down with it. This caused Akia to lose 50 Life Points, which was equal to Banisher of the Light's attack points. This brought her Life Points down to 1950.

"Now you don't have anything left in your hand. Is this really your plan?"

Yugi: "You still have a facedown monster card. I have a feeling I know what monster that is. I will attack it with my Black Magician!"

"Man, you're way too clever. Now I regret summoning this monster…"

The monster was revealed to be Morphing Jar.

Yugi: "According to your Morphing Jar's flip effect, both players discard their whole hand, then draw five cards from their deck. I guess now both our hands are replenished."

Both Yugi and Akia drew five cards from their decks.

Honda: "How did he know that?!"

Jounouchi: "It was a risky gamble, but those two really know each other well. I think Yugi just knew that that would be what Akia would play."

Yugi: "I play Mystic Box! This is one of my favourite magic tricks."

A box with a door sectioned into three parts appeared. The Black Magician then went inside of it, and swords pierced through the box. However, when the box opened, it wasn't the Black Magician inside of it anymore.

"Man! I always was freaked out by these kind of tricks! My Gren Maju Da Eiza…"

Yugi: "And that's not all. Since your monster is now destroyed, you lose half of its attack points. In other words, 2600 points, which are more than enough to make you lose the game… What?!"

Instead of Akia's Life Points dropping to 0, they went up to 3350.

"Hehe, did that surprise you? I wasn't going to let myself go all defenceless like that. I played this card here."

Akia then showed a trap card to Yugi.

Yugi: "Nutrient Z? Since when do you have that?"

"Since forever… I just never had the opportunity to use it. Let me tell you just how cool its effect is. If I'm about to receive 2000 points of damage or more, 4000 points are added to my Life Points before the damage calculation. Do the math, and I end up with 3350 Life Points."

Yugi: "Hmph, you're a real challenge, aren't you… However, my turn is still not done. I play Monster Reborn! I'll use it to bring back your Gren Maju Da Eiza to my side of the field. Its attack and defence points go up according to my cards that were removed from play, bringing them up to 4000. I'll end my turn with that."

"Using my own monster against me? You're so cruel… Oh well, I draw. First, I'll destroy that facedown card of yours with my Mystical Space Typhoon spell card. I don't want to take any more risks."

The destroyed card turned out to be the trap card Mirror Force.

"Oh my, good thing I destroyed that! Alright, now say hello to my brand new monster: Golden Homunculus (1500/1500)!"

A golden rock giant materializes on Akia's side of the field.

Jounouchi: "Isn't that too… weak? Wait…! What is happening?!"

Mai: "Its attack and defence points are going up!"

Indeed, Akia's monster's stats were going up at an alarming rate.

"Let me explain just how awesome this monster is. I was actually saving it for the final duel against Pegasus, but you just put me in a pinch here. This monster has a similar effect to Gren Maju Da Eiza. It gains 300 points for both attack and defence times the number of my cards that are removed from play. This adds up on top of its 1500 points, unlike Gren Maju Da Eiza, that starts off with no stats. My Golden Homunculus now has 5400 attack and defence points!"

Yugi was speechless for a bit, but then smiled in defeat.

Yugi: "You really are an exceptional duelist."

"Thanks, it means a lot coming from you. I'll attack your Black Magician with my Golden Homunculus!"

With a blinding light, Yugi's Black Magician was destroyed, and Yugi's Life points dropped to 0. Akia sighed heavily. This was the most challenging duel she'd ever played. She really doubted that she could win. If she hadn't drawn the right cards at the right time, she would've lost for sure. She also knew that what was waiting ahead was going to be even tougher. She would have to face the creator of Duel Monsters. Not only that, but he could also read her mind. She needed to be fully prepared for this.

Pegasus: "Well that concludes this round. The winner is Mutou Akia. Mutou Yugi will therefore receive the cash reward, and Akia will advance and challenge me for the title of King or Queen of games. I suggest you prepare thoroughly for this challenge."

Yugi and Akia then got up back to their friends.

"Man that was tough."

Mai: "That's my girl. You were amazing out there. No offence, Yugi."

Yugi was now back to his usual self.

Yugi: "Haha, she really deserved that win."

Jounouchi: "That duel was intense… I almost gave up on following up with it."

Honda: "If Mai didn't explain every single thing to you, you wouldn't have gotten a single thing."

Jounouchi: "Speak for yourself!"

Anzu: "Now, you have to prepare for the duel against Pegasus…"

Akia nodded, determined more than ever. She had to win this duel and save her grandfather.

"Anyway, I'm going to go to my room and prepare for the duel. I can't afford to lose this."

Yugi: "You're right. I'll come with you. I think our best bet is to find the strongest cards in both our collections and make a deck out of that."

"That's a great idea, Yugi! Now I have more confidence about winning this."

Yugi and Akia then headed for Akia's room and started preparing for the final duel.

* * *

**Alright, I'm really sorry for those who voted for Yugi to win, but Akia had more votes... No worries, I have a plan to win against Pegasus.**

**Now, back to writing another lengthy complicated duel!**

**Review if you liked, and tell me if you like the fact that Akia won or not!**


	26. Duel Against the Creator Part 1

**Alright, so I decided to do this duel in two parts or it would've been a very long chapter. It would've also taken me much longer than this to write it XD**

**I hope it's not too short. Enjoy :)**

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Chapter 26: Duel Against the Creator Part 1

After working on building Akia's new deck, the siblings took a deep breath.

Yugi: "That should do it. Let's head back?"

Akia looked at her newly constructed deck. She then brought her gaze up to her brother's.

"You go on ahead. I'll be right there."

Yugi nodded, knowing that she probably needed some time to mentally prepare herself. He gave her a last encouragement before leaving the room.

Now that she was alone, she took out her millennium scale. She pensively looked at it, wondering how she could possibly fight against Pegasus' millennium eye. If he saw what her strategy was, he'd undoubtedly defeat her. She couldn't afford to lose.

"Shadi… You would know, wouldn't you?"

She said, hoping she would get an answer.

"I know you're there, always watching. Can't you help me out? I really don't know how to handle the power of another millennium item…"

Then, in front of her, he appeared. She felt a smile form on her face.

Shadi: "For some reason, I really can't ignore your plea for help."

"I don't know how to thank you for answering me…"

Shadi: "You wanted to know how to defeat another millennium item, did you not?"

Akia nodded.

Shadi: "The power of a millennium item depends mainly on the wielder's will and determination. Of course, an understanding of the items' powers is also essential. All millennium items have the ability to protect the wielder of the powers of other items. This, however, is possible if your spirit is stronger than the one you're facing."

Akia looked once more at her item.

"Wait… So are you saying that I can protect my mind from Pegasus using my millennium scale? I just need to be mentally stronger than him and-"

When she looked back up, Shadi was no longer there.

"…And I'll defeat him…"

Akia clenched her hand around her millennium scale. There was a chance for her to win. Now that she knew that, she was filled with a renewed determination. She took a deep breath and headed for the dueling arena.

When she arrived there, she headed for her spot right away. At the other side of the dueling platform, Pegasus was already standing there, wearing his usual smirk. Yugi and the others were intently looking at them, feeling the tension.

Pegasus: "So, you finally showed up? We can now begin the final duel of this tournament, which will decide who the true Ruler of Games is."

Both opponents took out their decks and put them on the dueling table. Akia also took out her millennium scale and set it on the side of the dueling table. Pegasus noticed what she did and wondered what she had planned.

_Pegasus POV_

She took out her millennium item? I feel a strange power emanating from it. What is she planning to do with it? There's an easy way to find that out. I smirk and concentrate on probing into her mind to uncover all of her thoughts.

What's this?! Why can't I get through? It's like there's a wall that keeps me from seeing and reading what she is thinking! It has to do with that millennium item of hers… This is not going as planned. How does she know that millennium items can nullify each other's powers? Well, I can still easily take her on, even without having access to her thoughts. Even if I'm in a bind, I still have another trick up my sleeve… I have to win this… no… I need to win. For Cyndia.

_Outside POV_

Pegasus: "Let the duel begin! Ladies first?"

"I'll get this over with."

_'__It worked! I feel the magical barrier protecting my mind. Judging by Pegasus' slight frown, he probably tried to read my mind, but couldn't. I'm going to win this. My chances just skyrocketed!'_

They both drew five cards from their respective decks. Akia then drew one more card to start her turn.

"I'll summon Magician's Valkyria (1600/1800) in attack mode. I'll then put a card facedown and end my turn."

_'__Without knowing what I'm planning, it'll make it easier for me to lay down effective traps. I just need to keep my focus on the millennium scale's power.'_

Pegasus slightly frowned. He was still trying to get through the magical barrier, but to no avail.

Pegasus: "I see that you're going straight to the point, this time. It's my turn to draw. Well then, allow me to activate my spell card Toon World! Now, all my monsters will be Toon monsters, isn't that simply precious?"

Pegasus grinned widely while activating his favourite spell card. He wasn't about to take long detours either. Both Akia and him were set on getting this duel over with quickly.

_'__That card… He used it against Kaiba. If I remember correctly, Toon monsters are unaffected by normal attacks. I bet some traps won't work on them either. I have to tread carefully while dealing with them.'_

Pegasus: "Let's not waste any time then. I summon Gemini Elf (1900/900)! Thanks to my Toon World, this monster becomes a Toon."

Knowing that most traps won't work on his Toon monsters, Pegasus declared an attack on Akia's monster, which had a lower attack.

"Sorry to tell you that, but I activate my trap card!"

Pegasus: "Hmph, silly girl. Don't you know that most trap cards don't work on my Toon monsters?"

"Most, but not all. I activate Magician's Circle!"

Pegasus: "Kuh…"

He wasn't expecting that, and he cursed himself for being careless. He had a feeling he knew about what she was about to do with that card. That card allowed both of them to summon a Spellcaster monster card with 2000 or less attack from their deck, when a Spellcaster declared an attack, which he just did with his Toon Gemini Elf.

"I'm pretty sure you know everything about this game, so I'll skip the explanations."

Pegasus: "Alright, you got me this time. I summon my Illusionist Faceless Mage (1200/2200) in defence position."

"And I summon another Magician's Valkyria. Now, the amazing effect of this card is that when it's on the field, you cannot attack another Spellcaster-Type monster on my side of the field, except for Valkyria. Since I have two of them on the field, you cannot attack either of them, which means your Toon elf's attack failed."

Jounouchi: "Wait… How does that work…?"

Everyone around Jounouchi face-palmed, either visibly or internally.

Mai: "Let me explain it to you in a simpler way. Magician's Valkyria is a Spellcaster-Type monster. While it is on the field, the opponent of the controller of that card cannot attack any other Spellcaster-Type except Valkyria. Now, if you have two Magician's Valkyria on the field, it means that the opponent cannot attack them, since one card's effect protects the other, and vice-versa. Get it now?"

Jounouchi stood there in silence for a moment.

Jounouchi: "Oh! I get it now!"

Mai: "Finally… You really strengthened Akia's deck didn't you, Yugi."

Yugi: "To be honest, she's the one who came up with that strategy. Actually, she came up with most of the strategies. I just provided her with a different perspective and extra cards."

Bakura: "She's doing well."

The Spirit of the Ring was the only one who sensed what was going on. He knew that Akia was using her millennium item's power to protect herself from Pegasus' millennium eye. He never thought she would figure it out on her own. He even thought of telling her about it, but didn't have the time to talk to her alone before her match.

Yugi was also thinking how it was strange that Pegasus didn't see through that strategy, like he always did in his previous duels. However, unlike the Spirit of the Ring, he didn't know what was going on.

The group redirected their attention to the duel which was still going on.

* * *

**Tell me what you guys think in the reviews!**


	27. Duel Against the Creator Part 2

**Yes! I feel sooooo good with this duel finally done XD I hope you guys enjoy it just as much as the other chapters! Some stuff will be revealed about Akia, so tell me what you think ;D**

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Chapter 27: Duel Against the Creator Part 2

Pegasus: "Clever girl, aren't you?"

Pegasus's side of the field had Faceless Illusionist (1200/2200) in defence mode, Toon Gemini Elf (1900/900) in attack mode, and the Spell Card Toon World. Akia's side of the field had two Magician's Valkyria (1600/1800) in attack mode. Pegasus then placed a facedown to end his turn. He didn't want to risk anything, especially that now he couldn't read Akia's mind due to her protecting herself with her millennium scale. Keeping his composure, however, he smirked at her.

Honda: "Don't you guys find it weird how calm Pegasus is?"

Anzu: "Hm? What do you mean?"

Honda: "I mean that this probably means that he's sure he can't lose… Don't you think that maybe he's planning to play dirty using the hostages he's keeping?

Jounouchi: "Come on, you're worrying way too much. Pegasus is a duelist too. He has to have some honour."

Honda: "I guess…"

Honda wasn't convinced though. He then made up his mind to go find the hostages to keep Pegasus from playing any dirty tricks on Akia.

Honda: "I have to go to the bathroom. Tell me what I miss when I come back."

Honda then left in a hurry. The Spirit of the Ring was observing the whole thing. He knew that Honda was going to search for the hostages. For him, this could be very useful, since the hostages were devoid of their souls. Without a word, he followed behind Honda when the others were too busy concentrating on the Duel.

"I draw!"

Akia looked at her hand. She then looked at Pegasus' side of the field. She remembered the duel he had with Yugi. Pegasus had used a spell card with his Faceless Illusionist that took control of Yugi's Black Magician. She knew she needed to get rid of that Illusionist, or it would be a big loss of one of her Magician's Valkyria.

"I'll set a monster in facedown defence position, and put two cards facedown. I'll end my turn."

That was all she could do for that turn.

Meanwhile, Honda made his way into an underground dungeon. There were a few cells around. He had heard some of Pegasus' henchmen talking about keeping Mokuba down there. He then hid inside a suit of armour and started searching for the cell where Mokuba was.

It was now Pegasus' turn. He drew a card from his deck. He was treading very cautiously, now that he didn't know what to expect from his opponent. He was worried about the two facedown cards she had laid on her side of the field. However, he knew that she would be planning to destroy his Faceless Illusionist as soon as she could, to prevent him from using Eye of Illusion on one of her Magician's Valkyria. Little did she know, he had just drawn the card.

Pegasus: "Akia girl… You really are giving me a hard time. I'll switch my Faceless Illusionist to attack mode."

"You…!"

Pegasus: "By the look on your face, I'd say you figured out what I'm about to do. That's right! I'll activate my Eye of Illusion and target one of your Magician's Valkyria."

"I won't let you!"

Akia then reached out for one of her facedown cards and flipped it face up.

"I activate Book of Taiyou! I'm sure you know what that will do."

Pegasus: "You're going to flip a facedown monster into face up attack position… The only monster would be…!"

Akia smirked, knowing that Pegasus was probably expecting exactly what she was about to do, but he had no way of stopping it.

"Exactly. The only facedown card is one of my monsters which is…"

She flipped her defence monster to face up attack position.

"Man-Eater Bug! Of course, the reason why I did that is because of its flip effect. I get to destroy one of your monsters. And I'll choose… Your Illusionist."

Akia pointed at Pegasus' monster which then instantly got destroyed before it could take control of her Magician's Valkyria. This resulted in Pegasus to lose Life Points equal to half the attack of his destroyed monster. His Life Points were now down to 1400.

Honda finally found where Mokuba was, but there was someone keeping watch there. In his disguise, he knocked the guard out and took the keys to open Mokuba's cell. He got out of his disguise to be able to get out of there quickly. He then carried Mokuba on his back and started heading back to Yugi and the others. On his way, Pegasus' henchmen stopped him, pointing their guns at him.

"Drop the kid and we won't hurt you."

Honda: "Kuh… As if I'd ever do that!"

But he didn't know what else to do. He looked around him, trying to spot an escape route, but he was quickly surrounded.

Akia felt like she really might easily win that duel. When it came to strategy, her brain was just more superior than most.

Pegasus: "Good going there, but you left you bug wide open for an attack. Did you forget that I have my Toon Gemini Elf still on the field? And I won't wait to use it. Toon Gemini Elf, attack her Man-Eater Bug!"

Akia smirked wider, really happy that Pegasus fell for it.

"I never go unprepared. My second facedown: Book of Moon! This card has the opposite effect of Book of Taiyou. I'll target my Man-Eater Bug, bringing it once more to facedown defence position. And you know what that means…"

Pegasus: "No…! Toon Gemini Elf, stop your attack…!"

But it was too late. Once Pegasus' monster attacked Akia's, Man-Eater Bug's flip effect activated again, destroying Toon Gemini Elf that time. Pegasus lost another 950 Life Points, bring his Life Points all the way down to 450.

"I expected more of a fight from the Creator of Duel Monsters."

Akia said mockingly.

Yugi: "Way to go!"

Mai: "She's unbelievable. She hasn't even lost a single Life Point."

Pegasus shut his eye, trying to focus. She was one of the strongest duelists he ever met, and he'd met a lot. He didn't have any choice left but to go all out.

Pegasus: "You got me… I'll put one card facedown. I will then play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards from my deck."

Pegasus drew two cards and kept going with his turn.

Pegasus: "I'll then summon Dark Rabbit. I won't stop there… I'll activate my Ritual Card: Black Illusion Ritual!"

"…!"

Yugi: "A Ritual Summon?!"

Jounouchi: "A what now?"

Mai: "Ritual Summon… It requires a a Ritual Spell Card and a sacrifice. This is an advanced technique to summon high levelled monsters."

Everyone was tense. They didn't know what kind of monster to expect. Akia unconsciously gripped her millennium scale out of nervousness.

Pegasus: "The real duel starts now… I Ritual Summon Relinquished!"

A hideous monster with one eye materializes on the field.

Jounouchi: "What kind of weakling monster is that? Its attack and defence are both 0! The only thing is that its creepy looking."

"It's got to have some sort of special effect…"

And Akia was scared to find out. She frowned, waiting for Pegasus to explain. However, without a word, Pegasus' monster sucked up one of Akia's Magician's Valkyria.

"What…?! My monster…!"

Pegasus: "Would you like me to explain?"

Akia clenched her fists. Relinquished's attack and defence points then went up to (1600/1800).

"You absorbed my monster's attack and defence…!"

Pegasus: "Close. You see, I absorbed your monster, making it my puppet. Your monster attacks, and is destroyed instead of Relinquished. And you also lose Life Points if anything happens to your monster while it's inside Relinquished. You thought you'd win that easily? This duel has to stay interesting, don't you think? Enough babbling now. I'll use your monster to attack your other monster."

Akia's Magician's Valkyria that was under Relinquished's control, attacked the other Magician's Valkyria, both destroying each other as a result.

Pegasus: "Finally rid of these two pests. I'll end my turn now."

Akia was feeling threatened by that new monster. She knew she couldn't destroy it with her monsters, since it'd just suck them up. She also knew that it'd only attack if a monster is absorbed by it, meaning that any trap card she'd try would just destroy her own monster. Akia took a deep breath. There had to be a way. She looked in her hand.

_'…__Black Magician! That's it! That's one half of the puzzle… Now I just have to draw the appropriate card… Can I really draw it? The odds are so low… No. I will draw it. I have to draw it!'_

Akia reached for her deck and drew a card. Her eyes widened at what she drew.

_'__That's it! I can't believe it! I drew the card I needed!'_

"First, I'll set two cards facedown. I'll then summon Black Magician!"

Yugi smiled, happy that Akia was using his cards.

Pegasus: "You do know that my Relinquished can absorb your Black Magician, right?"

"I won't let that happen. I use the spell card: Mystic Box! Watch my Black Magician and his amazing magic tricks."

Pegasus: "No…!"

Black Magician got into one box. Swords then stabbed the box from everywhere, but the Black Magician came out from another box, unharmed. In the other box, however, Relinquished was the one that was stabbed and, as a result, destroyed.

"That takes care of that!"

Pegasus: "How dare you…"

Pegasus was slowly losing his cool. He had to break that barrier. If he just knew what she was planning ahead of time, he would definitely win.

Pegasus: "You're really pushing me to the edge, aren't you? You'll regret this, Akia."

Pegasus then revealed his millennium eye. Akia reflexively held her millennium scale.

Pegasus: "Let's duel in a way closer to how it was done long ago."

"What…? Long ago?"

Akia remembered that Pegasus had told Yugi about how Duel Monsters was actually originated from Ancient Egypt. She felt it was so far fetched that she didn't pay too much attention to it. Now, it came back to her, and she was starting to wonder that maybe he was actually telling the truth, somewhat.

Pegasus: "Akia… Prepare for a Yami no Game."

Yugi: "Yami no Game…! Akia's in trouble!"

Without warning, Yugi ran towards the exit to access the the dueling platform. Mai, Anzu, and Jounouchi followed him. When they made it down, however, darkness was enveloping the whole dueling area.

Yugi: "Akia!"

Without giving it too much thought, Yugi ran towards the darkness, but found himself face to face with his friends, instead of ending up where Akia was.

Yugi: "What…?"

He turned around, and found the darkness still there.

Mai: "What was that?! What IS that?!"

Anzu: "Akia-chan!"

Bakura saw Honda carrying Mokuba surrounded by Pegasus' Henchmen. The Spirit of the Ring needed Mokuba's soulless body. For that, he had to help Honda out. He took out one of his cards and used his millennium ring's dark powers to summon the Man-Eater Bug, unleashing it on the henchmen.

"What the…?!"

Honda: "Ah! What is that?!"

The Man-Eater Bug latched onto the head of one of the henchmen and started munching on it, resulting in the victim screaming and blindly shooting. The others tried shooting the monster, but it didn't affect it. Bakura then showed himself to Honda.

Bakura: "Over here!"

Honda: "Bakura! Did you…?"

Bakura: "No time, hurry!"

Honda then followed Bakura up the stairs. He knew that wasn't the actual Bakura. After going up a bit, distancing themselves from the henchmen, Bakura blocked Honda's way.

Bakura: "Hand over the kid."

Honda frowned. He knew it. That wasn't Bakura. That was that evil spirit that fought against Yugi.

Honda: "Tch… Fine, here. You can have him!"

Honda then threw Mokuba's body at Bakura, who caught him, but didn't have time to react to Honda knocking him out. Honda then took the millennium ring from Bakura's unconscious body and threw it out as far as he could. He then carried both Bakura and Mokuba back to where Akia was dueling.

When he arrived there, he noticed that no one was there. He then looked down at the duel and was surprised by the mass of darkness that was enveloping the field. Akia and Pegasus were nowhere to be found. Honda then spotted Yugi, Mai, and Jounouchi down next to the mass of darkness. He left Bakura and Mokuba and ran down to his friends.

Honda: "What's going on here?!"

Yugi: "Honda!"

Anzu: "Where were you?!"

Honda: "I found Mokuba so I brought him back."

Honda pointed up at where he left Mokuba's body.

Honda: "But tell me what THAT is!"

He then pointed at the darkness in front of them.

Yugi: "Akia's in there!"

Honda: "What?! How did this happen?!"

Yugi: "This is… a Yami no Game. The loser of the game will lose his soul!"

Yugi's puzzle then started glowing and the spirit of the puzzle took over.

Yugi: "The darkness might be too intense for her body to take…"

Jounouchi: "Akia…"

Inside the darkness, Akia held her millennium scale close. She was feeling… a surge of power. She felt as though this darkness was almost under her control.

"This… Father…"

_'__Father? What is this? What am I saying?'_

In her mind, she started seeing flashes of a different place. Pyramids, a book, a man she never saw before, but she felt as though she knew him… The images quickly stopped. When they did, Akia stared back at the situation in front of her. She then inhaled, feeling more alive in the darkness. She smirked.

Pegasus: "What? You can withstand the darkness?! How is that possible?"

"This darkness… is making me feel… powerful."

Pegasus attempted to read into her mind. When he tried, however, piercing waves of pain coursed though his nerves.

Pegasus: "Aaah! What are you…?!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot we were duelling. I end my turn."

Akia ignored Pegasus' cries of pain. When the pain became less unbearable, he tried to straighten himself up, frowning deeply. He drew a card.

Pegasus: "Ugh… I put a card facedown… and a monster in defence position. I'll end my turn."

"I draw! I'll put another card facedown. I'll attack your defence position monster with my Black Magician!"

Pegasus' monster was instantly destroyed, completely overpowered by Akia's Black Magician.

"I'll then use my spell card: Soul Release. With that I'll remove from play five cards from your graveyard!"

Pegasus: "I know what you're planning, but I won't let you! I'll use my trap: Imperial Iron Wall! This card prevents any card from being removed from play."

"I thought you'd have something like that, so I came prepared. I'll counter that with my trap card: Seven Tools of the Bandit! At the cost of 1000 of my Life Points, I can negate your trap card."

Akia's Life Points then went down to 1000, but Pegasus reached for his second facedown.

Pegasus: "This won't be over so easily… I use Dark Bribe! This negates your previous card's effect, but lets you draw a card instead."

"Well, you're persistent… But I'm even more stubborn. I use Solemn Judgement! At the cost of half my Life Points, I can negate your previous card!"

Now down with 500 Life Points, Akia succeeded in countering all of Pegasus' cards, while removing five cards from his graveyard. Pegasus was shaking. He knew what was about to come next, and he had no way of stopping it.

"I'll set one card facedown and end my turn. This is it, Pegasus. I end my turn."

Pegasus clenched his fists. He then reached for his deck, knowing that the second he'd draw his card, it'd be game over for him. Finally, he drew the card. Akia then reached for her facedown.

"Different Dimension Dynamite."

Was all she said as dynamites exploded, causing Pegasus to lose 500 Life Points, 100 points times the number of cards that were removed from play. This caused his remaining 450 to drop to 0, making Akia the winner.

Pegasus: "I… lost…"

The darkness was now preparing to take Pegasus' soul, but Akia wouldn't have that.

"No! I won't allow it. You promised to release the souls of those you kept captive if I won. You will keep your word."

At Akia's command, the darkness retreated and finally cleared. Pegasus then immediately ran up to his quarters.

Yugi: "Akia! You're alright!"

"Yugi!"

The twins hugged each other, in relief.

Jounouchi: "Aw man, you had us shaking in our boots for you!"

Mai: "Don't worry us like that…"

Anzu: "Akia-chan, I thought we'd lose you!"

Honda: "Geez, I leave one minute and everything goes haywire."

"Haha! I'm just glad it's over…"

Jounouchi: "Hey, where did Pegasus go?! He has a promise to keep!"

"I'm sure he will keep it."

Up on the balcony, Bakura woke back up. However, he had his Ring back, since the Spirit of the Ring had bound his spirit to Bakura's. When he tried to take Mokuba's body, he discovered that his soul was back.

Bakura: "That Pegasus kept his word… I can't believe Akia could withstand the darkness. I'll have to find out what happened later. For now… I need that eye."

Bakura left before Yugi and the others got back up at the balcony.

When they did, Honda looked surprised.

Honda: "Wait… Where did Bakura go?"

Anzu: "Bakura-kun?"

Honda: "He was also unconscious, because I knocked him out to get him away from that cursed ring."

"You did what…?!"

Honda: "I threw the ring far away. It was too much trouble to begin with."

_'__But then… I'll never see the Spirit of the Ring again? I mean… Honda's right about it being too much trouble, but…'_

Yugi: "We should go find where Pegasus went."

Yugi's voice snapped Akia out of her thoughts.

"Yeah… Let's go."

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**So how was it? Tell me in the reviews! I'll probably answer you :D**


	28. Goodbye Duelist Kingdom

**I've been having so many problems at work lately... You know when you have a new boss that's just good at being bossy but doesn't do their job right? Good thing I found a second job! Anyway, I'm sure you're not here to listen to my problems XD**

**Enjoy the last chapter of Duelist Kingdom!**

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Chapter 28: Goodbye Duelist Kingdom

Bakura went up to Pegasus' room, finding that he indeed released the souls of those he captured. He also found the man himself, looking pretty surprised to see him there.

Pegasus: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Pegasus had noticed that Bakura was not a normal person.

Bakura: "No time to chitchat. I'm here for that eye."

Without warning, Bakura shot a laser of power from his millennium ring, which Pegasus quickly encountered with his own from his millennium eye. The two powers clashed, but Bakura's mental strength ultimately won over Pegasus', who was still shaken from his loss.

Bakura then walked up to Pegasus, who had lost his energy and fallen to the ground.

Pegasus: "No! Stay back!"

Bakura, ignoring his pleas, reached for the millennium eye and took it out without hesitation. He then hurried out of there, leaving an unconscious Pegasus lying on the floor.

Meanwhile, Yugi, Akia, Honda, Jounouchi, and Anzu decided to head up to find out if Pegasus had kept his word. When they ran up to the hall where Pegasus' room was, they found one his bodyguards coming down the stairs, carrying Pegasus' motionless body. Mr. Crocketts, Pegasus' right hand man, was walking beside them. The group gasped at the scene.

Yugi: "What happened here?"

: "Mister Pegasus is in no condition to talk right now."

"Well that's kind of obvious…"

: "In his stead, I will be handing you your prizes. My apologies for it not being as official as it should, but due to the circumstances, nothing more can be done."

He then took out a box that contained a card and handed it to Akia. The card had a beautiful angel with blonde hair drawn on it. Akia then read the name of the card out loud.

"Bonds… of Friendship?"

Mr. Crocketts: "This is a custom made card by Mister Pegasus for the winner of the Tournament. There are no others like it. You are also granted the title of Queen of Games."

He then takes out an envelop and hands it to Yugi.

Mr. Crocketts: "This contains the prize money of three million yen. Now if you'll excuse me."

After handing the prizes, Mr. Crocketts left the group. Yugi then handed the prize money to Jounouchi, who gratefully accepted it.

"What about the souls? Did he release them?"

Yugi: "Only one way to find out."

After saying that, Yugi went up the stairs to Pegasus' room. Everyone else followed him. The first thing they all noticed when they got there was a big portrait of a beautiful woman, hanging on the wall. Akia then averted her eyes towards the table on her left. She then spotted three cards that were completely white. They looked like empty Duel Monster cards. She immediately ran up to them. The realization then hit her instantly.

"He… released them."

Everyone's attention then shifted to the table.

"Kaiba, Mokuba, and Grandpa! Pegasus released their souls!"

She knew that these were the cards that held their souls captive. A wave of relief washed over her. Everyone was safe. The others also had relieved smiles on their face.

Anzu then noticed a notebook sitting beside the empty cards.

Anzu: "What's this?"

She took it and opened it. Akia peeked at what was inside.

"It's all in English…"

Akia wasn't terrible in English, but she wasn't good either. Anzu, on the other hand was a bit better.

Anzu: "Let's see… It looks like it's Pegasus' diary or something. There are a lot of personal events written in here."

After roughly skimming through the contents of the diary, Anzu started explaining to her curious friends.

Anzu: "According to what's written in here, the woman in this portrait on the wall is probably his late wife Cyndia. Apparently he was so heart-broken and couldn't get over her death that he travelled all over the world to find a way to bring her back to life."

Honda: "Bring her back to life? But that's impossible!"

Anzu: "Well, in his diary he says that he was able to find a way when he travelled to Egypt. That's all I've been able to understand. The rest is too complicated."

"Egypt…"

_'__Did he meet Shadi too? Is that how he got his hands on the millennium eye?'_

Jounouchi: "Anyway, let's get out of here. I can't wait to get off this island."

Honda: "Same here, let's go."

Anzu, Honda and Jounouchi walk on ahead, leaving Akia and Yugi pondering on the mystery of the millennium items.

"Yugi… It always ends up relating to the millennium items."

Yugi: "Yeah. I really wonder what the secret behind them is."

They both then make their way down the stairs to meet up with their friends. Before they could, however, a man appears out of thin air. That man, Akia recognized very well.

"Shadi…!"

Before either her or Yugi could react, Shadi brought his millennium key to Yugi's forehead and turned.

_'__He's doing the same thing he did to me back then. He's going inside Yugi's mind!'_

After a few seconds, Shadi retracted his millennium key, having looked into Yugi's mind. Even though it seemed like only a few seconds, what he went through in Yugi's mind was a lot more.

Shadi: "I'm sorry for invading your mind so suddenly. I needed to make sure of who you actually were. Watch out for the one who stole the millennium eye. He will go after you sooner or later."

Shadi then turned around and vanished after glancing at Akia.

Yugi: "So that's him? The man you told me gave you the millennium scale?"

Akia nodded, a bit disappointed that she didn't have time to talk to him.

The twins then caught up with their other friends. They went back to Mai where they left Mokuba with her and found him slowly regaining consciousness. After smiles and laughs of relief, they all headed out.

Once they got out, a lean figure was walking towards them.

Mokuba: "Big brother!"

It was indeed Kaiba Seto. Mokuba started sobbing then ran to his brother and hugged him. While comforting his little brother, Kaiba looked up to Akia and her friends.

Kaiba: "By how things turned out, I assume you defeated Pegasus. Was it you, Yugi?"

Yugi: "No, it was actually Akia who did it."

A look of surprise appeared on Kaiba's face, but was soon replaced by his usual stoic expression.

Kaiba: "Thank you for saving me and my little brother. But don't expect anything more."

"I'm not…"

Akia said that in a nonchalant tone. She really didn't expect anything. She was actually surprised that he thanked her. She thought that he must really care about his little brother. The Kaiba brothers then left immediately after that.

Yugi: "We should get going too. I think there's a boat waiting for us."

"Yeah… But where's Bakura?"

Before anyone could answer her, a voice came from behind her.

"I'm right here!"

Akia turned around, genuinely surprised by his timing.

"Ryou!"

Bakura: "I went to the bathroom and when I came back, you were all gone."

Akia felt like his excuse was off. She then brushed it off, believing that the millennium ring was lost forever. Everyone then headed towards the boat and boarded on their way home, leaving Duelist Kingdom behind them.

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**Tell me what you think in the reviews! :D**


	29. Rebecca Hopkins

**I'm writing this at my new job, because I just have not much to do XD**

**I thought I'd be busy, but it turns out I can actually update faster because of this job! haha**

**Anyway, this chapter is not really enjoyable, to be honest. (at least for me to write...) It's all just rushed so that I can get through the Rebecca arc. I never really liked her, so yeah...**

**I still hope it's somewhat enjoyable to read.**

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Chapter 29: Rebecca Hopkins

When they arrived at the Domino Pier, Mai and Bakura said their goodbyes and went on their way. Yugi, Akia, Honda, Anzu, and Jounouchi headed for the hospital to go check up on Mutou Sugoroku.

While they were walking there, Akia took out the card Bond of Friendship and shoved it into Yugi's hand.

"This is way too cheesy for me, so you have it."

Used to his sister's antics, he just sighed and put the card in his pocket.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, Yugi and Akia rush up to their grandfather's room, followed by their friends. They quickly opened the door and found Mutou Sugoroku sitting on his bed. Overfilled with joy, the twins ran to their grandfather.

"Grandpa!"

Yugi: "You're awake!"

Sugoroku: "Yugi! Akia!"

After their happy reunion, they checked out of the hospital and started heading home. On their way, they started telling their Grandpa what had happened and filled him in on the recent events at Duelist Kingdom.

"Hey! Are you Mutou Sugoroku?"

A little blonde girl blocked their way and pointed at Sugoroku. Everyone looked confused at each other, not knowing what to think of the girl. She was carrying a teddy bear and had travelling luggage with her. It was safe to assume that she had just arrived in Japan. She looked much younger than Yugi and the others.

Sugoroku: "Yes, that would be me. Can I help you?"

"You thief! You stole my card!"

Everyone gasped at what she said.

Yugi: "Grandpa is no thief!"

Jounouchi: "Who are you, anyway, you little brat?"

"I'm Rebecca, the American Duel Monsters Champion!"

"They must really run out of Duelists to have a kid like you as their champion."

Rebecca: "I'm not a kid! I'm twelve years old! Anyway, your grandfather there is a thief! He stole my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"He didn't steal it!"

Rebecca: "Shut up and hand it over!"

Rebecca was starting to seriously get on Akia's nerves.

Rebecca: "I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you'll give me back my Blue Eyes!"

"A duel?! He just got out of the hospital!"

Rebecca: "I don't care!"

Yugi: "Rebecca, I'll take my Grandpa's place. I can't let him do this while he's still recovering."

Rebecca pouted.

Rebecca: "Fine, whatever. I'll win anyway whether it's you or your grandfather."

The group then headed to Kaiba Corp. where they hoped to find a dueling arena that they could use. When they arrived there, the place was packed with people.

"We just had to come on the weekend…"

They looked around to find anyone in charge.

Anzu: "Ah! Mokuba is there."

They rushed to him and told him about the situation.

Mokuba: "Hmm… Well, we're really completely booked today, but maybe… I'll make a special exception for you guys, since, without you, Seto and I wouldn't even be here. Follow me."

They followed Mokuba to an indoor arena that was completely empty.

Mokuba: "This arena is not open to the public yet. Just make sure you don't mention this to Seto, he doesn't like to give any special services."

Yugi: "Thanks, Mokuba, you're a big help."

Mokuba: "Don't sweat it."

After Mokuba left, Rebecca and Yugi took their spots on the dueling platforms. The duel started off with Rebecca summoning Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200) in attack position. Yugi then easily destroyed that monster with his Celtic Guardian (1400/1200). Due to the effect of Rebecca's monster, she was allowed to add one monster with 1500 or less defence to her hand. As the duel went on, she summoned other monsters with the same ability to get another monster from her deck. To reinforce her defences, she summoned Millennium Shield and equipped it with the spell card, Ring of Magnetism, making it the only attackable target for Yugi with a defence of 2500. Yugi, however, managed to destroy it using Mind control then using his Catapult Turtle's effect to tribute Millennium Shield.

Rebecca then used a card to discard five of the cards in her hand to destroy all the monsters on Yugi's side of the field. After doing that, she summoned Shadow Ghoul that was powered up because of all the monsters that Rebecca had in her graveyard. After lasting a few turns, Yugi unexpectedly surrendered.

"Why?!"

_'Yugi never surrenders!'_

Yugi: "You win, Rebecca.

He then took it out of his pocket. Sugoroku had taped it where Kaiba had torn it. Rebecca's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the card. She then snatched it from his hand.

Rebecca: "How could you?! You ruined it!"

"It wasn't his fault, it was…!"

Sugoroku put his hand up to stop Akia from continuing what she had to say.

Sugaroku: "I'm very sorry about what happened, Rebecca. This card was given to me by someone very important to me, and I should've taken better care of it."

Rebecca: "I've had enough of your lies! It wasn't given to you; you stole it!"

"Rebecca!"

Everyone then turned to the voice that came from the entrance.

Rebecca: "Grandpa!"

Sugoroku: "Arthur, is that really you?"

An old man in a suit came in.

Arhur: "Sugoroku, my old friend, I apologize for my granddaughter's behaviour."

Sugoroku: "I had a feeling she was your granddaughter."

Arthur then turned to Rebecca.

Arthur: "Rebecca, give back to Sugoroku his card."

Rebecca: "But I won the duel, so it's mine! Besides, he stole it from you!"

Arthur then went up Yugi's deck that was still on the platform.

Arthur: "Did you know that Yugi would've actually won that duel if he had played his next card?"

While saying that, Arthur picked up the card, which revealed to be Soul Release.

Arthur: "Had he played this card, you would've lost. He could've removed up to five monsters from your graveyard, which would've considerably weakened your Shadow Ghoul."

Rebecca: "He…"

Arthur: "Also, Rebecca, Sugoroku did not steal the card. I gave it to him as a sign of our friendship.

Rebecca looked shocked at the revelation. Arthur Hopkins then turned to Yugi.

Arthur: "You're just as kind-hearted as your grandfather."

Yugi gave out a nervous laugh. He then went up to Rebecca and gave her the card that Akia had given him earlier.

Rebecca: "What's this?"

Yugi: "Just a token of friendship. I'm sorry for everything that happened."

Rebecca looked at Yugi and blushed.

Rebecca: "Friends…? Thank you…"

With that, Sugoroku spent some time with his old friend while Akia and the others went back to their respective homes.

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**Thank you all so much for sticking with my story for so long!**

**Review and tell me what you think :D**


	30. Legendary Heroes Part 1

**First part of the Legendary Heroes arc! I'll try to fit it all in two chapters, if not then maximum three. Then it'll be the Otogi Ryuuji (Duke Devlin) arc and the, FINALLY, the second season will be upon us! XD**

**I can't wait!**

**I hope you guys enjoy this :D**

* * *

Chapter 30: Legendary Heroes Part 1

Akia yawned and stretched her arms right after the teacher left the room.

Yugi: "You never change…"

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Yugi: "Did you even listen to anything the teacher said?"

"I did, in fact. He said "Good morning, class" then I kind of zoned out."

Yugi sighed at his sister's nonchalant behaviour. He then directed his attention at the two empty seats in the class.

Yugi: "Kaiba and Bakura haven't been in class since Duelist Kingdom…"

Jounouchi: "Kaiba's probably busy with his big shot company to care about school."

Jounouchi talked in a mocking way. He always did that when mentioning Kaiba.

"I guess for Kaiba it is normal, but not for Ryo…"

Akia couldn't contact him ever since he left them after arriving at Domino Pier. She was getting a little worried about him.

After classes were over, Yugi and Akia went back home along with their friends Anzu, Jounouchi, and Honda. The five friends planned to spend their afternoon together like many times before.

While watching a rerun of the Duelist Kingdom Finals, Sugoroku came in a hurry, with Mokuba drenched in rain shivering beside him.

Sugoroku: "Yugi, I think something's wrong."

Yugi: "Mokuba!"

Akia hurried and got a dry towel to give Mokuba. Anzu went to the kitchen and made him some hot milk tea.

Mokuba: "Thank you…"

"What happened, Mokuba? Why are are you all drenched from the rain?"

Jounouchi: "Yeah, aren't you rich enough to be driven in a car?"

This time Jounouchi's voice was more filled with curiosity than mocking.

Mokuba: "I need your help… My brother's in big trouble!"

"Trouble? What do you mean?"

Mokuba then started explaining what had happened.

Mokuba: "When we got back to the company, big brother started investigating his employees to find out who his traitors were."

Anzu: "Traitors?"

Mokuba: "There are people from Kaiba Corp who joined Pegasus and helped him take the company away from my big brother."

Everyone listened intently to what Mokuba was saying.

Mokuba: "It didn't take him long before he found out the traitors behind all of this. When he did, however, they begged for his forgiveness. He didn't buy it. They then changed the subject and told him that they completed his virtual game based on Duel Monsters in hopes of gaining his forgiveness. Since big brother had been working long and hard on that game system, he took them up on their offer and went to try the game out, swearing to deal with them later, depending on how the game turned out. The problem is that this was all actually a trap set by them to trap my big brother in his own game! When I found that out, they tried to take me and lock me up, but I managed to escape. I didn't know who else to turn to but Yugi… That's why I'm. I need your help to save my big brother."

At the mention of a new video game system, Jounouchi's eyes lit up.

Jounouchi: "Let's go and play the-… I mean, let's hurry and get Kaiba!"

Anzu and Akia gave him an exasperated look.

Yugi: "You're right; we have to go there and save Kaiba."

Without losing any more time, Yugi and the rest followed Mokuba to Kaiba Corps. Arriving there, Mokuba made used a back entrance that was only known to him and his brother. He had to make sure that they weren't spotted by the five traitors and their henchmen. They then reached a room that Mokuba quietly opened. Everyone went in and started looking around, impressed by the technology.

"I've never seen anything like that. It's like a sci-fi movie."

Akia was looking at the pods with a transparent glass cover. There were exactly four of them.

Mokuba: "We'll be going into these to enter the game."

Honda: "There are only four of them. Does that mean only four of us can go?"

Mokuba: "Exactly. I'm going, so there're three more spots for you guys."

They all looked at each other.

"Since it's based on Duel Monsters, I should probably go too."

Yugi: "Same here."

Jounouchi: "Well, I'm not about to miss out on a chance to try out a new game system."

Anzu: "So I guess it's decided."

Mokuba helped everyone get into a pod, and then he explained to Honda what buttons he should press to start the game up. After that, he went into his own pod. Akia's heart was beating in excitement. She was always a fan of games in general, so the idea of trying out something completely new thrilled her.

The pods closed up over the participants and they were transported to the virtual world. Yugi, Jounouchi, Akia, and Mokuba land in a graveyard.

Jounouchi: "This looks crazy real!"

"Yeah, it's just as gloomy as all graveyards…"

Yugi was more interested in the round gadget attached to his wrist. He noticed that his other three companions also had one.

Yugi: "Mokuba, do you know what this is?"

Mokuba: "This is your deck holder. The deck you had in the real world when you came into this world has been transferred. This is what you'll be using in this world to battle."

Yugi: "I see…"

Akia then spotted some movement from the corner of her eye. She then turned towards it, and saw three monsters.

"Watch out!"

Everyone turned towards the newcomers and prepared themselves to battle.

Meanwhile, Honda and Anzu had standing guard in the room, making sure that no one would come and disrupt what their friends were doing.

Anzu: "I hope Yugi and the others get back safely…"

Honda: "I wish I went. Anything for a good video game!"

Anzu: "You don't even know how to duel properly…"

Honda: "Hey, I might not be as good as Yugi and Akia, but I bet I can hold my own against Jounouchi-"

A sound from outside the room caused Honda to interrupt himself. Anzu had noticed it too. They both tiptoed to the door, and opened it slightly. What they saw made them start panicking about the situation.

Anzu: "Those are some Kaiba Corp. henchmen!"

Honda: "This is bad. If they come over here, Yugi and the rest are doomed!"

Anzu and Honda were whispering to each other about what to do. They got back inside and locked the door. They then started stacking in front of the door everything they can find lying around to buy some time for their friends.

Anzu: "Let's hope it holds long enough for them to come back."

Honda: "If it comes down to it, we'll use our own bodies to keep this door closed!"

Back to the virtual world, Yugi and the others were confronted with three monsters.

Mokuba: "This is bad! We have to destroy them. Their stats are shown on your duel gadgets."

They all glanced at their wrists. They were up against Dragon Zombie (1600/0), Armored Zombie (1500/0), and Clown Zombie (1350/0).

Mokuba, being the one that knew the system the best, took out one of his cards and summoned Rude Kaiser (1800/1600). Yugi, taking example on him, summoned Black Magician (2500/2100). Akia decided to stand back for this one, since she believed that Mokuba and Yugi's monsters would be enough to handle it.

Mokuba's monster attacked and destroyed Dragon Zombie, while Yugi's Black Magician pulverized Armored Zombie and Clown Zombie.

"Way to go!"

Right when they were about to celebrate, the three monsters that were just destroyed, started reviving themselves.

"What…?"

Mokuba: "I didn't know about that! They must've done some kind of modification to the game!"

Jounouchi: "They come back up? Well I'll just have to bring them right back down!"

Yugi: "Jounouchi, wait!"

But it was too late. Jounouchi had summoned his Flame Swordsman (1800/1600) and launched an attack on the revived Dragon Zombie. Akia checked her duel gadget and saw that its stats had increased from (1600/0) to (1760/0).

"Its stats increased?!"

It was still too weak to stand a chance against the Flame Swordsman. However, it revived itself a third time, with even higher stats.

Yugi: "Jounouchi! Get your Flame Swordsman away from it!"

Jounouchi: "Wha-?!"

The revived Dragon Zombie, now even stronger (1920/0), was able to destroy Jounouchi's Flame Swordsman. A counter on Jounouchi's duel gadget that counted 2000 went down to 1820.

Jounouchi: "What's that all about?!"

Mokuba: "Those are your Life Points! If they reach 0, it'll be Game Over. Usually that'd just bring you back to the real world, but I don't what other changes were made by the five people who trapped my brother here."

Jounouchi gritted his teeth. It was only the beginning, and he had already lost Life Points.

Yugi: "I recognize those monsters!"

Yugi's observation sent a spark of realization in Jounouchi's eyes.

Jounouchi: "Now that you mention it… I recognize them too!"

Akia was looking at them, confused by what was happening.

Yugi: "Jounouchi, you know their weakness."

Jounouchi: "Oh yeah! 0 defence points! I just need to use Shield and Sword against them."

Having said that, Jounouchi pulled out the spell card from his deck and used it on them. Yugi then summoned his Black Magician and annihilated all three of the zombie monsters.

"Damn, way to go, guys!"

A counter on everyone's duel gadget went up to five points.

Mokuba: "Yeah, that's just a points system. You can exchange them for rewards later."

"Alright, let's get going then. Kaiba won't wait for us forever."

Just as the group was about to start walking, a little flying thing came at them. It looked like a little fairy dressed in blue with a little staff.

Jounouchi: "What's that thing?"

Jounouchi pointed at it, a bit skeptical at what it might be.

"I don't know, but it's adorable!"

The little fairy kept flying around, trying to tell them something.

Yugi: "I think… it wants us to follow it."

Mokuba: "Yeah, I think so too."

Jounouchi: "You sure we can trust that thing?"

"Well, it's the only lead we have…"

Deciding that it was their best course of action, the four of them started following the little fairy.

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**Tell me in the reviews what you liked and what you didn't like! Is it better than last chapter? XD less rushed this time haha**


	31. Legendary Heroes Part 2

**I have a poll up on my profile! It's to decide what kind of duel Akia should have with Otogi (Duke Devlin) since, unlike the anime, she's the one who defeated Pegasus.**

**And don't worry about it, it's completely anonymous, if you're shy :DD**

**For those who don't know where the polls are, go on profile and in the middle of the line at the very top, right over the profile picture, you'll see it.**

***UPDATE ON THE POLL***

**So, until now, I have 4 people who voted. And it's 50-50... For those who didn't vote yet, it'd be nice if you did :3 At least I won't be stuck at a 50-50 result XD**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 31: Legendary Heroes Part 2

The group followed the fairy that seemed to be guiding them. They finally arrived at a cliff letting way to the view of a city right under.

Yugi: "I guess that's our destination."

Mokuba: "Let's find a way down."

When they finally reached the town, it was bustling with people.

"Hm… If this is like any normal RPG, if we ask around, we will get hints on where Kaiba might be."

Yugi: "Sounds like a plan."

They go around talking to everyone, asking whether they saw someone dressed like them who passed by. Jounouchi then went and asked an old lady about it.

"I did see a stranger being brought to the temple across the desert."

Jounouchi: "A stranger? That must be Kaiba! Thanks, lady."

They then went around asking where the desert was. Being pointed in the right direction, they reached the town gates. As soon as they started heading out, they were knocked back by a sandstorm.

Yugi: "Huh? What's that all about?"

"How can a sandstorm just knock us back to the town gates?"

They tried again, but got the same results. They looked around and found an old man sitting in front of his house at the outskirts of the city.

Yugi: "Excuse me; we need to cross the desert. Is there any way to do that?"

"You need a Koke Card to cross the desert."

Jounouchi: "Koke Card?"

"You need a Koke Card to cross the desert."

"What's the Koke Card?"

"You need a Koke Card to cross the desert."

Yugi: "I think he's going to keep repeating the same thing…"

Agreeing with Yugi, the group stopped trying to get any more information out of the old man. They all headed back to the city to find more clues about the Koke Card.

"Hm… None of the villagers are saying anything useful."

Jounouchi: "Yeah, they all just say "hi" or "what brings you to our town?" It's like most RPGs where the creator is too lazy or doesn't have time to have a unique conversation for each character."

"I wouldn't blame them either… It takes a lot of time to do these things."

Mokuba: "Look! Over there!"

Mokuba pointed at a poster a little further ahead. Jounouchi and Akia stopped their conversation and shifted their attention towards the poster. They all then headed there and read it.

"Big tournament…"

Jounouchi: "The prize for the winner…"

Yugi: "Is the extremely rare…"

"Koke Card!"

The four of them exclaimed at the same time. The poster told them about the location of said tournament, which they immediately got to. There, they found a man registering names, sitting at the entrance.

Mokuba: "Who's going to enter the tournament?"

"I'll sign up!"

Jounouchi: "No, I will."

Yugi: "But, Jounouchi, your Life Points are the lowest out of the four of us."

Jounouchi: "And that's why I'll be the one entering. You guys should keep your full Life Points for later on when you'll really need 'em."

Akia sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to change Jounouchi's mind about this, but she was still worried.

"Don't you dare lose."

Jounouchi grinned widely at her.

Jounouchi: "You can count on me."

Jounouchi went and registered his name in, while Yugi, Mokuba, and Akia headed for the spectator seats.

The building looked like a coliseum, with seats all around the arena in the middle, at the bottom. The group looked around and spotted the tower where the prize was, along with probably the hosts of the tournament.

"We could just snatch it. It's right there!"

Yugi: "I'm pretty sure that's not as easy as you make it sound."

"I guess…"

They then focus their attention at the front where the announcer was introducing the champion of the town, Butterfly Lady, as she made her entrance. It was a very voluptuous lady with blonde hair, a red cape, and a butterfly mask over her face. The announcer then introduced her contestant as Pig Man.

"Pig Man? Isn't it supposed to be Jou-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Akia burst in laughter. The contestant in question was dressed up as a pig, and Akia just knew that it was Jounouchi. Yugi and Mokuba were doing their best not to laugh so hard.

After they all finally caught their breath, they concentrated on the duel.

Jounouchi had summoned his Flame Swordsman (1800/1600) in attack mode. His opponent then retaliates by summoning Harpie Lady (1300/1400) also in attack mode.

"Harpie Lady?"

Yugi: "You're thinking the same thing, aren't you, Akia?"

"Could it be Mai-san? She does look similar. And her voice is also awfully similar."

The twins decided to watch the duel more before reaching a conclusion.

Jounouchi: "Harpie Lady?"

Jounouchi was hesitating to play his next turn.

"Jounouchi seems to be having the same thoughts as us."

After his moment of hesitation, he attacks the Harpie Lady with his Flame Swordsman.

"You walked right into my trap: Mirror Wall!"

Yugi: "Mirror Wall…!"

Yugi and Akia looked at each other. It was almost perfectly clear now who Butterfly Lady was.

Due to Mirror Wall's effect, the Flame Swordsman's attack is halved (900/1600). The masked woman then equipped her Harpie Lady with Rose Whip, giving her a 300 points attack and defence boost (1600/1700).

Jounouchi, now also sure of the identity of his opponent, rips off his mask.

Jounouchi: "Mai! It's me!"

Mai: "Jounouchi?! Stop!"

Mai stopped her attack just in time to save Jounouchi's Flame Swordsman and Life Points. She then took off her own mask, revealing to be indeed none other than Kujaku Mai.

Jounouchi: "What are you doing here?"

Mai: "I should be asking you the same thing-!"

Before Mai could finish her retort, she was interrupted by the crowd's booing.

Mai: "Let's get out of here."

Jounouchi: "But the prize!"

Mai then looked at the tower behind her and ordered her Harpie to use her whip and get the Koke card. The crowd at this point was in panic. Yugi, Akia, and Mokuba hurried out of the stadium. Mai and Jounouchi also ran out of the arena and joined the others.

When they all gathered outside, they ran further away from the coliseum, trying to put some distance between them and any potential pursuers.

While catching their breath, Akia was smiling at seeing Mai. She had missed her, even if it hadn't been that long since they last saw each other.

"Mai-san! How have you been?"

Mai was equally happy to see Akia and the others again, even though she was confused over why they were there.

Mai: "I've been fine. More importantly, why are you all here?"

Yugi started explaining to her what had happened to Kaiba and how Mokuba needed their help to rescue him. In return, Mai explained that she was asked by Kaiba Corp to beta test the game they'd been working on. Since she was offered money to do it, she had agreed.

The group reached the town gates and Mai used the Koke Card. Big chicks with a green mane spawned. They were big enough for someone to ride them.

"Aw! They're so cute!"

Akia went up to one of them and started petting it. The Koke let out happy chirps.

Jounouchi: "Cute? These things look creepy…"

Mai: "Come one, Jounouchi-kun, don't be a scaredy cat."

Mai chuckled at him as she rode one of the Koke. Jounouchi grumbled and did the same, while Yugi, Akia, and Mokuba were already riding their own.

They headed out to the desert, braving the sandstorm.

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**Thank you so much for reading :D**

**Don't forget about the poll! XD**

**Review and tell me what you think of the chapter!**


	32. Legendary Heroes Part 3

**This arc is taking much longer than I originally thought XD**

**Well, at least that leaves enough time for you guys to go VOTE! The poll is on my profile page, so don't be shy! (please vote, please, please) I mean, it'd be nice if you did :D It's anonymous so you got nothing to lose :3**

**Right now Dungeon Dice Monsters is winning by one vote!**

**With that said, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 32: Legendary Heroes Part 3

The Koke were handling the storm rather well. Their riders, however, weren't feeling as comfortable. The hot and violent wind was blowing at them, carrying grains of sand that scraped their skin. None of them dared talk, since it might lead to a mouthful of sand.

Suddenly, a monster emerged from the ground, with tentacles preparing to attack the group.

Yugi: "Watch out!"

The Kokes started panicking and running around wildly.

Jounouchi: "This is not goooood!"

They then regained control over their respective Koke.

Jounouchi: "Alright, that's it! You're going down!"

Jounouchi then drew a card from his deck.

Jounouchi: "Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Destroy that thing!"

Just as instructed, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon attacked the monster with his fireball. Not standing a chance against the dragon's attack power, the monster incinerated almost immediately. Akia was awed at seeing the Red-Eyes again. It was so majestic and beautiful. Even though she was happy that the card belonged to Jounouchi, she felt like it was a bit of a shame that it didn't belong to her instead.

Mai: "Let's get a move on."

Mokuba: "Look over there!"

Now that the sandstorm dissipated, the group could see the temple not too far ahead.

"So the sandstorm was probably caused by that monster."

Yugi: "In any case, let's hurry to the temple."

With that said, they all headed to the temple. After a bit of a walking, they arrived in front of the majestic entrance. Mokuba then ran inside without waiting for anyone.

"Mokuba!"

Jounouchi: "Damn it, he gets so worked up when it comes to Kaiba!"

Mai called back the Koke to their card and the group went after Mokuba up the stairs. They found him standing in front of a dark cave. The five of them ventured inside.

Mai: "This is kind of creepy. "

Jounouchi: "This must be the Cave of Death that that villager told me about…"

Yugi: "We have no choice but to keep going."

Everyone kept going until they reach a big wooden door.

Jounouchi: "Let's open it."

Once they stepped inside, they all realized that it was the start of a maze.

Jounouchi: "It can't be! A labyrinth field?!"

The door behind them closed up, trapping them inside.

"The door…!"

Jounouchi: "Dammit, we're trapped!"

Mai: "What do we do now?!"

Yugi: "There's got to be an exit to this labyrinth."

Right after what Yugi said, a female scream sounded from the depth of the labyrinth.

Mai: "What was that?"

Yugi: "Someone's trapped in here!"

Jounouchi then barged through the group and ran into the maze.

Jounouchi: "We're on the way!"

Mai: "Hey, Jounouchi! Geez… He rushes so fast when he hears a girl scream! Even when he's got a woman with a nice body right here."

Akia smirked at Mai.

"I know right?"

She said in a teasing voice. She could see that Mai was a bit jealous.

Yugi: "We should hurry after Jounouchi before we lose-"

A big explosion sound interrupted Yugi in his thoughts as a giant blue tank broke through a labyrinth wall and faced them.

"Aaah!"

Mai: "What?!"

The monster's stats displayed as (2400/2400).

Yugi: "Demonic Tank of the Labyrinth?! Run!"

They all ran in the labyrinth, trying to escape from the monster. They reached an intersection where Jounouchi was still deciding where to go.

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun! Run!"

Jounouchi looked at the monster chasing them and screamed. He then immediately ran to the left where everyone followed him. As they ran, another tank appeared in front of them. Jounouchi stood in front of Mai in a protective manner.

Jounouchi: "That bastard! I better get rid of it!"

They all soon realized that three tanks were blocking the three ways around them, trapping them in the middle.

Mai: "We're trapped…!"

Jounouchi: "Shit! Is this the end?!"

Yugi: "Don't give up yet!"

Jounouchi: "Yeah, I know but…"

The three tanks prepared to attack. By the time they could get rid of one, the other two would've already launched their attack. The only way was to escape. Yugi pulled out a card from his deck.

Yugi: "Magical Silk Hat!"

A black hat enveloped them right before the attack. When the tanks shot their lasers, the hat got destroyed, revealing no one inside. Other hats had spawned in different locations in the labyrinth. Under one of them was the group. The hat dissolved, revealing everyone unharmed by the previous attack.

Jounouchi: "Man, that saved us! Nice reflexes there, Yugi."

The mechanical sound of the tanks rolling echoed in the halls.

Mai: "They're still following us?!"

Mokuba: "Which way should we go?"

A small flying ball of light approached them.

"That's…!"

Yugi: "The fairy from before!"

It motioned for them to follow it.

Jounouchi: "Does it mean it's trying to guide us out of here?"

Mai: "Let's check it out."

They all started following the fairy around until they heard someone call it by its name.

"Earu!"

Jounouchi, Yugi, Mai, Akia, and Mokuba stood wide-eyed at the person in front of them.

Jounouchi: "…Mokuba? Why the heck are you dressed that way?"

It was a person who looked exactly like Mokuba, but was wearing a dress.

Mokuba: "Idiot, I'm right over here."

Mokuba stepped up next to Jounouchi.

"They look exactly the same… What was Kaiba thinking?"

Mai: "Seriously…"

Mokuba completely ignored them all and went up to Mokuba in the dress.

Mokuba: "So the person screaming before was you?"

"A-And you guys are…?"

The game sprite had a very feminine voice.

Jounouchi: "Save the introductions for later. For now, do you know where the exit is?"

"I don't know…"

She shook her head. Everyone sighed in exasperation.

"But Earu can help us."

Their expressions immediately lifted and they started following Earu around once more. After a bit of running around, they finally reached the exit of the labyrinth.

Jounouchi: "Yes! We're out!"

Their celebration didn't last very long, though, since, right in front of them, a giant monster blocked the way.

Jounouchi: "Shit! It's the Gate Guardian!"

"How do you know about it?!"

Yugi: "Jounouchi and I fought it in the Duelist Kingdom!"

The stats of the Gate Guardian then appeared (3750/3400).

Mai: "We don't have a card that can beat that!"

Jounouchi: "Just leave it to us! Let's go, Yugi!"

Yugi nodded, knowing exactly what Jounouchi expected him to do.

Jounouchi: "Red-Eye Black Dragon!"

Yugi: "Demon Summon!"

"Fusion! Come! Black Demon's Dragon (3200/2500)!"

They both said together as the two monster cards fused into one powerful monster. A giant dragon with Demon Summon's bones and muscle came forth. Akia, Mokuba, and Mai stared in awe.

Mai: "So close! It's still not enough to stop that thing!"

Jounouchi: "We're not done yet! Dark Dragon-Type Claws! This spell gives it a 700 attack point boost (3900/2500)! Go! Meteor Flare!"

Black Demon's Dragon shot a fireball at the Gate Guardian and obliterated it.

"A-Amazing!"

The female Mokuba stuttered.

"Thank you very much. How can I repay you?"

Jounouchi: "Don't mention it."

Yugi: "Now let's get out of here."

The group then saw a bunch of lights far in the distance beyond the exit. There were also voices calling out "Meyari-sama." They assumed that was the name of the female Mokuba.

Meyari: "Bara!"

Bara, an old bubbly lady, was accompanied by a few guards and was smiling happily.

Bara: "Meyari-sama! I'm so glad you're safe! Hm?"

She looked at the five people behind Meyari.

Bara: "And who might these people behind you be?"

Meyari: "These people just saved my life."

Meyari then invited them to her castle so that they could rest. She also told them that she'd fill them in on what was happening once they reached there.

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**Tell me what you think in the reviews and thank for reading :D**

**Don't forget to vote (wink wink)**


	33. Legendary Heroes Part 4

**Alright, I lied, this is not the last Legendary Heroes chapter... It's just such a long arc for some reason! Even though it's just three episodes! Well, this is the before last one. We're getting close to the end of it! Then it's Otogi's arc, then it's MARIK TIME!**

**Speaking of Otogi, I haven't had any new votes for whether Akia should play Dungeon Dice or Duel Monsters... :( Why aren't you guys voting? D: Well, if you change your mind, you can find the poll on my profile.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 33: Legendary Heroes Part 4

Arriving at the castle, the group found out that Meyari was actually the queen. A feast was prepared for them and Meyari started talking to them about the tragedy of her kingdom.

Meyari: "In the Gouland Kingdom as well as the neighbouring one, we are forced to make sacrifices once a year."

Yugi: "Sacrifice?"

Mokuba: "What do you mean?"

Meyari: "If we do not offer sacrifices to the Five God Dragon, it shall destroy our land completely."

"The Five God Dragon? Sounds like another Monster card to me…"

Akia mumbled that last part so that Meyari and the sprites of the kingdom wouldn't hear her and take it in a bad way.

Meyari: "I heard that the other kingdom has offered up a prince from a faraway land."

Mokuba: "That's nii-sama! Where is my big brother now?"

Meyari: "I'm certain that he's being held in the Dark Castle of the Sky."

Yugi: "How do we get there?"

Meyari then motioned towards something behind Yugi.

Meyari: "Please look at this painting. This is a legend from a thousand years ago."

The painting depicted a white bird flying through both the night and day sky.

Meyari: "This is the ancient ship used to get to the Dark Castle of the Sky. However, we are unsure where to find this legendary artifact."

Mai: "Can't we just use our monsters to get there?"

Meyari: "The Dark Castle is surrounded by a barrier that monsters can't cross."

Mokuba: "No way…"

Mai tried to comfort Mokuba.

Mai: "It's alright. This is a game after all. There's got to be a way to solve it."

Baba and Meyari looked at Mai, a bit confused by what she just said.

Mai: "Don't pay attention to me!"

She giggled nervously.

Mai: "Anyway, have you decided on your sacrifice?"

Meyari: "Ah… Yes."

Baba then took a handkerchief out of her sleeve and sniffled in it.

Meyari: "It's me."

The group expressed their surprise at her declaration.

Meyari: "But I believe that you may be able to save this land. The legend speaks of a group of legendary heroes that come to fight the dragon! It states "When the strongest dragon teams up, the Evil Deity will be destroyed." I believe that it is you this prophecy is speaking of. I am convinced that you can save this world!"

Jounouchi: "I'm pumped, I'm pumped, I'm pumped! This is like a dream come true for a fan of RPG games!"

Mai: "You're really simple-minded… Saving Kaiba is our top priority right now."

Jounouchi: "But if we don't defeat the Five God Dragon, we can't save Kaiba. We're bound to come across it."

Yugi and the others then agreed to help Meyari, since it would also help them save Kaiba. Meyari offered them warrior outfits to demonstrate her gratefulness.

Mai was given an armour that showed off her curves. It had a short skirt and a blue cape, along with a sword attached to her belt.

Mai: "This kind of gives me a good feeling."

"You look gorgeous in it!"

Akia had a white long sleeved robe with an equally short skirt as Mai's outfit. The white robe was tight on her body, showing off her petite figure. A light blue cloth belt was wrapped around her waist. The long sleeves were tight at the top and wide at the end. She was also given a quiver filled with arrows, as well as a silver bow.

Mai: "Same back at you."

"Well, it's not like I'll know how to use this bow… How about you, Yugi?"

Yugi turned around to look at his sister and Mai.

Yugi: "It's a bit embarrassing, but…"

He had a basic armour on with a red cape. It looked like the male version of what Mai was wearing.

Mai: "Really? It fits you well."

Yugi: "I wonder…"

Yugi let out a nervous laugh. He then went to sit down on a crate.

Mai: "Is Jounouchi done yet?"

"He hasn't stepped out of the changing room yet."

Jounouchi then peeked out through the curtain.

Jounouchi: "Hey, why am I the only one wearing a costume like this?"

Mai: "It's fine just get out of there already."

As soon as he stepped out, Akia, Yugi, and Mai looked at him, speechless at what they saw. He was wearing a one sleeve fur cloth, white bandage arm bands, a monster skull on his head, and was carrying a mace.

Jounouchi: "Freaking ridiculous, ain't it? I think so, too!"

Baba was standing next to him, flustered at his response.

Baba: "But that is the official attire of our legendary hero."

Before Jounouchi could retort, a lighting bolt thundered right out the window.

Jounouchi: "What the…?!"

The sky outside went dark. Everyone gathered outside. The sky was filled with dark menacing clouds. The princess also came out to the front, even against Baba's protests. As they all looked closely, countless monsters were coming down from the dark sky.

"What the?!"

Jounouchi: "They didn't waste time coming here…"

Yugi: "There are so many of them."

Mai took out a card from her deck.

Mai: "Let's go! Valkyrie!"

Mai's monster spawned and charged at the army of monsters. She started killing them one by one. However, that didn't amount to much next to the how many there were. Yugi told her to call back her Valkyrie, saying that he had a plan. Yugi then took out a card from his deck.

Yugi: "I activate the spell card Black Hole! Destroy all the monsters!"

Right when it was about to activate, a kunai shot through it, pinning the card out of Yugi's hand to the floor.

Yugi: "What?!"

They all looked at where the attacker came from and saw a ninja monster on the castle walls.

Jounouchi: "Dammit, Blue Ninja has the ability to stop one Magic Card."

Just then, Blue Ninja threw a net at Princess Meyari and trapped her.

Baba: "Princess! We have to do something!"

"We'll just get rid of it! D.D. Assailant! Get that sneaky little bastard!"

Akia's monster materialized and instantly charged towards the Blue Ninja, matching it in agility. D. D. Assailant then easily destroyed the ninja monster and Akia called her back.

The net started falling down, but was soon grabbed back by one of the flying monsters who immediately took off.

Baba: "Princess!"

"Meyari!"

They all shouted her name. As soon as she was taken away, the sky cleared up.

Mokuba: "No way… Mokuba-sama…"

"Huh?! Mokuba?!"

They all exclaimed.

Jounouchi: "When you say "Mokuba-sama"… Are you…?!"

Baba: "Princess!"

"Then they took Mokuba!"

Meyari, on the verge of tears, explained that Mokuba wanted to trade places with her so that he's the one taken captive instead. He believed that he would find his brother wherever they were going to take him. Meyari started to blame herself for what happened.

Yugi: "If we could just get to that castle…"

He then stepped forward, looking at the sky. His gaze then went to the ground where he saw a giant bird shape on the ground.

Yugi: "Guys! Look at that!"

Mai: "I feel like I've seen this before."

Jounouchi: "Yeah, same here."

"It's from that painting! The Legendary Flying Machine!"

When they realized that, everyone went down to it. Meyari then issued a notice to everyone in the kingdom to try and find hints to how to revive the Legendary Flying Machine.

Unfortunately, no one found any clue.

Jounouchi: "Dammit! After all this!"

Yugi: "Calm down, Jounouchi. There must be a way."

Jounouchi: "Don't you get it? This is a sick game created by those five hooligans! There might not be any solution!"

Yugi then started thinking of a way. Akia went up to her brother.

"Yugi, what did Meyari say about the history of the machine? I wasn't really listening."

Yugi: "She said that long ago it was used by… wait… That's it!"

Akia winked at him. She had listened to what Meyari said, but she wanted Yugi to figure it out as well. He gave Akia a thumbs up.

Yugi: "Princess! How long ago did the legend take place?"

Meyari: "1000 years, I believe."

Yugi, Jounouchi, Mai, and Akia went to the site of the flying machine.

Yugi: "This means the machine has been dormant for that long."

Jounouchi: "Yeah, so?"

"So just use something to go back in time."

Jounouchi: "Go back in time?"

Yugi: "Exactly."

Mai: "Ah! Your Time Wizard!"

Jounouchi then took out his card from his deck.

Jounouchi: "It's a bit of a gamble, but here goes! Time Magic!"

The Time Wizard spawned and the arrow on his staff started to turn. To everyone's relief, it stopped on the right symbol and time was rewinded.

The ground was shaking violently and the Legendary Flying Machine slowly started to materialize.

Yugi: "We did it! It's working!"

"Yeah! Awesome!"

After a short celebration, the group set out to save the Kaiba brothers.

Back to the real world, Honda and Anzu were having more and more trouble keeping the henchmen out. They kept adding bigger objects in front of the door and were pushing to keep it closed with all their strength.

The Legendary Flying Machine emerged from the ground, lifting Yugi, Akia, Mai, and Jounouchi up in the air.

Jounouchi: "Woah!"

"We're flying!"

Jounouchi: "We're really flying!"

Mai then hugged Jounouchi out of happiness.

Mai: "We did it!"

Jounouchi: "I-Idiot!"  
Jounouchi was all red at the sudden hug, but his surprise didn't last long as the group heard the loud cheering of the citizens. They got up and waved at them. Earu then flew up to them.

Yugi: "You want to come along?"

Earu nodded.

Yugi: "Alright! Let's go!"

The flying machine was getting closer to the Dark Castle. Jounouchi went up to the navigating wheel and piloted the ship's direction towards their goal.

Anzu slapped one of the henchmen's hands out from where it was peeking through the door. Honda then pushed the door closed once again.

Honda: "I won't let you lay a finger on Yugi and the others!"

Meanwhile, Yugi and the others had reached up above the clouds. An army of monsters was waiting there for them, blocking the way to the castle.

Jounouchi: "There they are!"

Yugi: "We'll beat them down!"

They all then prepared their respective cards that they would battle with.

Mai: "Harpie Lady and Rose Whip!"

Jounouchi: "Mage Knight Giltia!"

Yugi: "Black Magician!"

"Ryu-Kishin Powered!"

Their monsters were fairing well against the enemy. Suddenly, attacks started coming from below the ship. This caused Yugi to lose his footing, giving a chance for the enemy to attack him. Earu then heroically stood in the way of the attack, taking the damage instead. Black Magician then immediately destroyed the attacking monster.

Yugi: "Earu!"

He picked up the little fairy in his hands.

Yugi: "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…! Because of me…!"

Everyone then witnessed Earu's comforting smile as it vanished into dust.

Mai: "Yugi…"

Tears started flowing out of Yugi's eyes as he screamed in sadness. His millennium puzzle then started to glow and the other Yugi took his place.

Yugi: "I won't forgive you! Big Five!"

His voice was filled with much more authority now.

The ship had finally reached the barrier, as its tip started piercing through it, encountering some resistance. It shook the whole machine.

Mai: "We've hit the barrier!"

Jounouchi: "Just a bit more…!"

The ship then went right through and continued on its way.

Jounouchi: "We did it!"

As they got closer to the castle, a black hole appeared and fire shot through it.

Jounouchi: "Damn!"

Jounouchi turned the wheel, trying to avoid a direct hit. The fire instead caught on one of the machine's wings and a fire dragon appeared through the black hole.

Mai: "Damn you!"

Mai's Harpie Lady attacked the fire dragon and destroyed it instantly. However, the ship was now on fire and was starting to lose altitude. Yugi then immediately summoned his Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress that carried everyone on its back and flew away from the burning machine. Mai's Harpie Ladies carried the group's monsters up as well and everyone headed for the castle's entrance.

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**Alright, tell me what you think in the reviews! And vote pretty please? :3**


	34. Legendary Heroes Part 5

**That... took me forever! Akia's involvement is much more active in this chapter. AND FINALLY IT'S THE END OF THE VIRTUAL WORLD ARC!**

**Anyway, I got excited there XD The poll is still open. I'll keep it open for a few more days until I start writing the next chapter, which will be including Otogi and Dungeon Dice Monsters (according to the votes so far)**

**I hope you enjoy badass Akia, because I was seriously trembling with excitement while writing this!**

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Chapter 34: Legendary Heroes Part 5

"All we've been doing in this place is running…! Running from monsters, running to the city, running to get the maze… And now running in this dark forest to get to the castle! Good thing this is all a game, or I would probably collapse from all this sprinting around."

Yugi, Jounouchi, and Mai sighed. Akia had been complaining about this since they entered the forest surrounding the castle, which was already for a few minutes. They all somewhat agreed with her, but she kept going on and on about the same thing that they couldn't help but wanting her to shut up for a bit.

Mai: "Look at this!"

Mai suddenly stopped running and pointed at an enormous tree ahead. The others also stopped to see what she was talking about. Three large cocoons could be seen attached to the tree.

Jounouchi: "Cocoons of Evolution…!"

Mai: "We can't let them hatch!"

An army of insects then came out in front of them, between them and the cocoon tree.

"Ah! I've had it with all this! I use my Spell Card: Insecticide!"

As soon as Akia used her card, a hand holding an insecticide can sprayed it on the Insect-type monsters that were instantly destroyed by it.

"I'm already in enough of a bad mood…"

Jounouchi: "Way to go, Akia!"

The other Yugi nodded approvingly.

Yugi: "Now we just need to destroy those cocoons.

The defence of the cocoons displayed 2000.

"I got nothing."

Jounouchi: "My Red-Eyes can burn them good."

After saying that, Jounouchi summoned the Red-Eyes and burned the cocoons.

Mai: "Well that takes care of this problem."

Yugi: "Let's keep going."

After a short walk, they reached the huge entrance of the castle. Without hesitation, they went inside. They then noticed a part of the high ceiling starting to crack. Instinctively, they stepped back.

"What's this?"

A white beam then forced its way through the ceiling and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's head peeked through.

Yugi: "Blue-Eyes!

Mokuba and Kaiba then slid through and landed in front of the group.

Yugi: "Kaiba! Mokuba!"

Jounouchi: "So you're safe! We were so worried!"

Kaiba: "I don't need a loser dog to be worrying about me."

Jounouchi: "What'd you say?!"

"A little thanks won't hurt you douchebag…"

Kaiba: "I see the annoying one is here too…"

Akia frowned. She really couldn't stand the guy, but she was still glad he was safe.

"You've done well to make it this far."

A voice sounded, as if talking through a speaker. A black hole then formed far off in front of the group. Kaiba then turned towards it.

Kaiba: "You failed to sacrifice me!"

"S-Seto! Why are you here…?!"

A different voice said and sounded genuinely surprised.

Kaiba: "That means the legendary Five God Dragon can't be revived! This game is officially cleared!"

Another voice chuckled.

"We will not allow you to."

"That's correct!"

The voices retorted as the scenery started to change.

"Those dirty old men…!"

The group then found themselves in a sci-fi looking place.

Kaiba: "What…?!"

Jounouchi: "What the?!"

A black shadow then emerged in front of them and spawned a giant dragon with five heads. Each head was different. One was made out of water, one out of fire, another out of earth, a fourth out of wind, and the last looked as if it was made out of darkness.

Yugi: "So this is… The legendary Five God Dragon?"

Jounouchi: "That's cheap! The Five God Dragon shouldn't be revived!"

One of the voices chuckled.

"A truly exceptional game always holds a surprise ending."

Kaiba: "I see…"

Yugi: "Fine then! We'll take you head on!"

"Battle!"

Kaiba, Mai, Yugi, Jounouchi, and Akia said in unison. The stats of the Five God Dragon then got displayed (5000/4000).

Mai: "Here we go! The Three Harpie Sisters!"

As soon as Mai summoned them, an electric current ran through the Harpies, pinning them to the ground.

Mai: "What?!"

"Behold! The symbol at your feet!"

Reacting to the voice, everyone looked at what they were standing on. A picture of the Lord of Dragons then started to materialize.

"That's right. This is the Dragon's Sanctuary. Only those of the Dragon-type can fight here!"

One voice said smugly. Kaiba then chuckled and broke out into a full out triumphant laugh.

Kaiba: "You dare to challenge me to a duel of dragons? I praise that optimism of yours!"

"Haha, good thing I included some emergency cards into my deck before coming here."

Everyone's attention turned towards Akia. She then pulled out a card from her deck.

"I never thought I'd ever need this card, but I brought it along since I didn't know what to expect in this weird game. Behold! I activate my trap card: DNA Surgery!"

Yugi: "Brilliant!"

Kaiba: "…Hmph. Not bad."

Jounouchi: "What does it do?"

Akia smirked.

"It changes the type of all the monsters on the field to whatever I want them to be. And since you guys said that only dragons can battle here, I choose the Dragon Type!"

Jounouchi: "No way! Awesome!"

"I-It can't be! What are the odds that one of you would even have that?!"

"No matter. They still are too powerless to defeat the Five God Dragon."

The voices were starting to get a bit agitated. Due to Akia's trap, Mai's Harpies were freed from the binding.

Mai: "Alright! Way to go, Akia-chan!"

Kaiba then took out three cards.

Kaiba: "Come forth! My three Blue-Eyes White Dragons (3000/2500)!"

Jounouchi: "You're going all out. Now it's my turn! Red-Eyes (2400/2000)!"

Mai: "No harm in summoning another monster. Harpie's Pet Dragon (2000/2500)!"

Due to the three Harpie's on the field, Harpie's Pet Dragon gains an attack and defence boost (2900/3400).

Yugi: "Black Magician (2500/2100)!"

"Everyone is summoning some powerful monsters. Well, I'll just go with the classic! Banisher of the Light (100/2000)!"

"Let's go!"

Everyone except Mokuba and Akia attacked with their monsters in a joint attack. The Five God Dragon attacked as well, both attacks cancelling each other out.

Jounouchi: "I-It withstood our attack…!"

"Tch…"

One of the voices chuckled.

"Heh, there is one defenceless target here left to attack!"

Kaiba: "W-What? You don't mean…!"

One of the heads prepared to attack as one of the male voices commanded.

"Disappear, Mokuba!"

Kaiba: "Mokuba!"

Jounouchi then reacted first.

Jounouchi: "MOKUBA!"

The Red-Eyes stood in the attack's way, shielding Mokuba and taking all the damage. Upon the Red-Eyes' destruction, Jounouchi's Life Points dropped to 0. He kneeled on the floor and grunted. Mai, Akia, and Yugi ran towards him.

Mai: "Jounouchi!"

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun!"

"Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi, with the last of his strength looked at them.

Jounouchi: "Guys… The rest… is up to you…!

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun!"

Mai: "Jounouchi…!"

Mokuba: "Jounouchi…"

He then started to fade in the same way as Earu. Akia gasped and covered her mouth in horror. Mai dropped to her knees, devastated by what she saw.

Mai: "Jounouchi…! Jounouchi!"

Tears welled up in her eyes with sadness and frustration.

Mai: "That's not fair! It's against the rules to directly attack the players!"

"Not fair?"

The voices evilly laughed.

"We make the rules here!"

Kaiba: "You scum…!"

Yugi then got up.

Yugi: "The legend of this world says that when the strongest warrior unites with the strongest dragon, they will be able to save the land."

Kaiba: "What are you implying?"

Yugi: "I ritual summon my Chaos Soldier! Become the legendary warrior!"

Kaiba scoffed.

Kaiba: "Are you implying that you want us to work together? No chance. I don't need your help, Yugi."

Yugi: "Kaiba!"

The voices sounded again.

"Then let's get rid of your Chaos Soldier."

Mai: "I won't let you! I'll be your opponent!"

"The weak shall disappear!"

Mai's monsters went up against the Five God Dragon, but inevitably lost. This caused Mai's Life Points to also drop to zero.

"Mai-san!"

Yugi: "Mai!"

Mai dropped to the ground and also disappeared. Akia felt anger well up inside of her.

"If Kaiba won't help… Then I will be the one to destroy you."

Akia walked up in front of both Kaiba and Yugi.

Yugi: "Akia! Don't be foolish!"

Kaiba: "What do you think you can accomplish?"

Akia took out a card from her deck.

"Gren Maju Da Eiza."

She quietly said as her key monster spawned. Its attack and defence displayed question marks.

"Hahahaha! You think that puny monster can stand in our way? It doesn't even have any attack or defence! Say goodbye, you foolish girl!"

The Five God Dragon unleashed a full on attack on Akia's Gren Maju Da Eiza.

Yugi: "Akia!"

After the attack resolved and the smoke dissipated, Akia was still standing, both her and her monster unharmed.

"What…?!"

Kaiba, Mokuba, Yugi, and the Big Five were speechless. They didn't understand how Akia was still alright and with all of her Life Points still there. They then directed their gaze towards her Gren Maju Da Eiza.

Kaiba: "…Impossible!"

Yugi: "This…!"

"15600 attack and defence?!"

Indeed, the stats of Akia's Gren Maju Da Eiza displayed (15600/15600).

Kaiba: "How?!"

Yugi's eyes then widened in realization. He turned his gaze towards Akia's Banisher of the Light.

Yugi: "I see! Your Banisher!"

"Our friends' sacrifices weren't in vain. Upon their destruction, they were all removed from play because of my Banisher of the Light. You bastards made the mistake of neglecting my monster, since it seemed so much weaker than the others. This will be your downfall! I will avenge Mai and Jounouchi!"

"You…"

One of the voices grumbled.

"It doesn't matter, though. You still cannot defeat us."

Akia closed her eyes to compose herself.

"I noticed. This whole fight…"

She then opened her eyes and glared at the Five God Dragon.

"I've been observing each and every move this whole fight. This Five God Dragon doesn't seem to be taking any damage. This last attack confirmed it. If it was a normal monster, it would've been immediately destroyed by my Gren Maju. But it wasn't. I saw the head that is made of fire absorb the whole attack."

She then glanced at Yugi. She wanted him to realize what that meant.

Yugi: "The different heads each represent an attribute."

Akia nodded.

"Impressive… So you know that only a Light Monster can defeat our dragon. Too bad yours isn't."

Yugi: "Not if I can help it! I activate the equip spell card: Scroll of Bewitchment! I'll equip it Akia's Gren Maju Da Eiza!"

Akia gave Yugi a thumbs up.

"Good thing you told me what cards you included in your deck before we got here."

Yugi: "Heh. We really can't keep anything from each other."

Akia glanced at the other Yugi. He really still did seem like her brother a bit, but more mature.

Yugi: "This equip spell changes the attribute of the monster it's equipped to to whatever I want it to be. And I choose Light!"

"No…! It can't be…!"

Akia grinned. She saw their victory. Once she attacked, it would all be over.

"Gren Maju Da Eiza! Destroy those pieces of trash!"

With its attack, Akia let out all her anger towards the loss of her friends.

"No!"

The voices screamed in disbelief as their once powerful monster disintegrated. The ground then started shaking and the four surviving members lost consciousness.

Akia opened her eyes and found herself staring at the blue sky. She slowly got up. Kaiba, Yugi, and Mokuba also came to their senses. When they did, they were greeted with the cheering of a crowd. Akia then suddenly took out one of her cards.

Yugi: "Akia?"

"I need to bring them back… This trap card will help."

Yugi glanced at the card and understood her plan. It was the trap card Return from the Different Dimension. At the cost of half the Life Points of the user, they can summon as many monsters that were removed from play as possible. While she did that, Princess Meyari thanked them.

Yugi: "Princess Meyari, we lost Earu… and two of our friends."

Meyari: "I know… It is time I revealed my true identity."

Meyari then transformed into the Mystical Elf. After incanting a spell, Earu was revived.

Meyari: "Unfortunately, I cannot bring back your friends since they are not in the graveyard…"

Akia's trap then took effect, cutting her Life Points in half and bringing back Jounouchi and Mai.

"Jounouchi! Mai!"

Yugi and Akia exclaimed. Kaiba stood there, impressed by how unexpectedly smart Akia was. He kept dismissing her as a nuisance and an annoyance. However, he had to admit to himself that she really did save them all. He would never admit it out loud, though.

After celebrating their victory, a portal to exit the game opened up to them. They all stepped through it, leaving the game world behind.

Back in the real world, the Big Five's goons were able to break through the door at the same moment Yugi and the others regained their consciousness.

Anzu: "Yugi!"

Honda: "You guys are finally back!"

Kaiba then immediately went up to the one leading the henchmen.

Kaiba: "You really thought you could get rid of me? You'll all be sorry."

Leaving the Kaiba brothers to their affairs, Yugi, Akia, Jounouchi, Mai, Honda, and Anzu went on their way home, while the twins filled everyone in on what happened.

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**Thank you for those who stuck with my story for so long! I bet you're all getting really impatient for Marik's involvement XD No worries! Only like two more chapters until he makes an appearance! It will be epic! You won't regret the wait (I hope)!**

**Review plz and tell me what you think! I answer everything, trust me XD**


	35. Another Transfer Student

**Thanks to the 6 people who voted XD I removed the poll from my profile, to kind of limit spoilers on which side won. So I hope you like this chapter! Not much left before season 2 :D**

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Chapter 35: Another Transfer Student

Akia yawned as the twins were on their way to school.

"After all the crazy things we've been through, it feels kind of out of place to be casually going to school like that."

Yugi: "You're just saying that because you don't want to go to school in the first place."

"Can you blame me? Do you know how boring it is?"

Yugi sighed in exasperation. His sister hadn't changed one bit. It was hard to wake her up that morning, just like every other morning. She was starting to get immune to the detention threat.

Yugi: "Anyway, did you see how grandpa seemed upset this morning?"

"Yeah, but I didn't bother asking."

Yugi: "Well, I asked while you were getting ready. Apparently what's been upsetting him so much is that new game shop that opened a few blocks away."

"Oh yeah! I saw it. It looks pretty interesting, I might go check it out after school."

Finally arriving at school, the twins headed for their class.

Jounouchi: "Mornin' guys."

Anzu: "Akia-chan, you really look like you don't want to be here."

"That's because I don't want to be here."

Jounouchi: "Hah, same as always."

Akia sat down on her chair. Bakura greeted her from the seat next to her.

Anzu: "Well, I have some pretty exciting news for you."

Piking Akia's interest, Anzu smiled triumphantly.

Anzu: "I heard that there's a new transfer student coming today."

"In our class?"

Anzu shook her head.

Anzu: "No, in one of the other classes."

"Then let's go see what that transfer student's deal is during our break."

The teacher came in, bringing their conversation to a temporary halt.

The bell rang, signalling the end of morning classes and the start of the lunch break. Suddenly, all the girls in the class other than a few minor exceptions got up and bolted out the classroom door.

"What's up with them?"

Anzu: "I bet they're going to see the transfer student."

"If he or she's creating such a fuss already, then let's hurry and go see. Judging by how it's only the girls that rushed out, I bet it's a guy."

Akia got up and dragged Bakura and Jounouchi along while Anzu did the same with Yugi and Honda. They easily spotted the whereabouts of the mysterious transfer student, due to the flock of screaming girls that were gathered around him.

"Can't see anything!"

Akia tried to stand on the tip of her toes, but it was no use. She was shorter than almost everyone.

Jounouchi: "There's nothing much to see, really. He's just doing a bunch of dice tricks to try and impress the ladies."

Jounouchi sounded a bit bitter about that. Akia gave up on trying to see and settled down.

"What does he look like?"

Jounouchi: "Just like any normal dude…"

Akia sighed. She wasn't about to get any decent answer from Jounouchi. Just as she was about to turn towards Anzu to ask her, she saw the girls making way for someone. Then he appeared. The transfer student. Anzu and Akia couldn't help but drool a little. The transfer student had his black hair tied in a ponytail. His deep green eyes were almost mesmerizing. He had a tall and slender figure, putting to shame even the idols on Akia's posters.

"Well if it isn't the Duel Monsters Queen herself."

Akia took a while to process that he was talking to her. Bakura and the Spirit of the Ring were watching the whole scene, feeling a bit annoyed at how she was acting.

"O-Oh! Me? Yes, well, you can say I am, haha."

Yugi raised an eyebrow at his sister's behaviour. He'd never seen her stutter so much before.

"It's an honour to meet you. My name is Otogi Ryuuji."

He then held up one of her hands in his. All the girls around started to squeal. Akia's face was bright red by that point. That was when the Spirit of the Ring snapped and took over. He slapped Otogi's hand away and stood between him and Akia, glaring daggers at the new transfer student.

Bakura: "Hands off if you know what's good for you."

Otogi flinched a bit, feeling slightly intimidated by Bakura's sudden change. He however recovered immediately and smirked while twirling a bit of his hair between his fingers. Akia was also very surprised at how Bakura acted. She then realized that it was not Bakura, but the Spirit of the Ring. That confused her even more.

Otogi: "My, my, someone's a bit touchy."

Without another word, Bakura grabbed Akia's wrist and started dragging her out of there.

"Ah! Ryou!"

No matter how much she called out to him, he kept going. Yugi and the others had stayed behind, apologizing for what had happened. When Bakura and Akia finally got back to the classroom, he let her go.

"What was up with that?"

The Spirit of the Ring didn't answer. He couldn't answer. His actions took even him by surprise. He just felt really angry seeing another guy get close to her. Before they could talk any further, the others were back in the classroom.

Anzu: "Akia-chan! What happened?"

"I don't know. Anyway, is Otogi alright?"

Akia whispered to Anzu, making sure that Bakura wouldn't hear her.

Anzu: "Actually, a lot of things happened…"

Anzu told Akia about how Jounouchi called out Otogi's dice tricks as lame, causing Otogi to challenge him to figure out how one of his simpler tricks worked. Of course, Jounouchi couldn't figure it out and was, therefore, made a fool out of in front of everyone. Pissed off, he challenged Otogi to a Duel Monsters game. Otogi agreed but only if they used new cards from new Booster Packs.

"And Jounouchi agreed…"

Anzu nodded in exasperation.

Anzu: "They both even bet on what would happen to the loser and the winner."

"What did they bet on…"

Akia was almost afraid to ask. Jounouchi was playing right into Otogi's hands, but his stubbornness wouldn't let him see that.

Anzu: "If Jounouchi wins, Otogi would be forced to close his shop. If Otogi wins, Jounouchi has to be his personal servant for a week."

"When's this duel supposed to happen?"

Anzu: "Otogi said tomorrow, since it's our day off of school."

Akia couldn't help but facepalm. Bakura was listening in on the whole thing. He smiled inwardly, satisfied that Otogi was finally showing his true dark colours. He knew then that there was no way that Akia would ever feel any attraction towards someone like him.

The next day, Yugi, Jounouchi, Anzu, Akia, Honda, and Bakura headed straight for his game shop.

Otogi: "Welcome to my humble game shop."

"Humble…?"

It was anything but humble. It was much bigger and fancier than the Mutou game shop. It even had multiple storeys. Otogi led the group to an elevator that comfortably held all of them. There was even a huge box in there that contained a bunch of booster packs.

Otogi: "This is what we'll be using for our game, Jounouchi-kun."

Jounouchi's eyes couldn't help but sparkle at the amount of booster packs that was in front of him.

Jounouchi: "Hehe, you chose the wrong game, buddy. I'll annihilate you no matter what cards I use."

He was greedily opening the packs as he said that.

Yugi: "Jounouchi-kun… You shouldn't play with cards you're not used to playing with."

Jounouchi: "Relax, Yugi. Someone needs to beat some sense into him."

They finally arrived at the floor where the dueling arena was. Jounouchi and Otogi finished up making their new decks and went up to the platform. The others stood close and observed the duel. They then noticed a bunch of fangirls cheering for Otogi in some cheerleader outfits. They kept praising Otogi and provoking Jounouchi.

The duel started.

Jounouchi: "Since you're probably not as good as me, I'll let you start first."

Otogi: "Oh, how considerate of you. As you wish, then. I draw! I summon Oni Tank T-34 (1400/1700) in attack position. I end my turn at that."

Jounouchi: "That's all you can manage? Alright, I draw! I summon Sword Hunter (2450/1700) in attack position."

All of the spectators were wide-eyed at the strength of the monster. Jounouchi attacked Otogi's monster with his own, bringing Otogi's Life Points down to 950. Due to Sword Hunter's ability, the monster it destroyed is equipped to it, raising its attack power by 200.

Anzu: "Maybe we were wrong to be worried about Jounouchi. He's doing just fine."

It was now Otogi's turn. He drew his next card and summoned Dark Bat (1000/1000) in defence position and sets a card facedown.

Jounouchi: "Now you're backing down, huh? You can't stay on the defensive forever! I draw! I summon Mad Sword Beast (1400/1200) in attack position. I'll have it attack your puny bat. And guess what? Due to piercing damage, you lose life points equal to the difference between my monster's attack and your monster's defence! How do you like that?"

Otogi grunted as his life points went down to 550.

Otogi: "Well, I activate my trap card: Michiruze. When one of my monsters is destroyed by your monster, it will drag along one of your monsters with it to the grave! And I choose to destroy your Sword Hunter."

Jounouchi's Sword Hunter was subsequently destroyed due to the trap card.

Jounouchi: "Whatever, I end my turn."

Otogi drew a card from his deck. He set it on the field. He then summoned Spikebot (1800/1700). He then attacked Jounouchi's Mad Sword Beast, bringing Jounouchi's Life Points down to 1600.

"This is one pretty simple and straightforward duel."

Akia didn't find much strategy to it. Of course, that wasn't surprising since they had to make brand new decks just before the duel. Jounouchi drew a card on his turn and summoned Goblin Attack Force (2300/0) in attack position. He destroyed Otogi's Spikebot with his monster, bringing Otogi's Life Points all the way down to only 50. Goblin Attack Force's effect activated, due to it attacking, switching it to defence position until Jounouchi's next turn.

Honda: "Way to go, Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi: "You're done during my next turn, Otogi!"

Otogi: "I wouldn't expect less from the runner-up of the Duelist Kingdom."

Jounouchi: "It's too late now, Otogi! You should've thought of that earlier."

Not answering to Jounouchi's boasting, Otogi drew his next card.

Otogi: "This duel has gone on long enough."

Jounouchi didn't even pay attention to that, thinking that Otogi was obviously bluffing.

Otogi: "I summon Gradius (1200/800) in attack position. Now this will come in handy."

Everyone's attention was directed towards Otogi as he reached out for his facedown card that he set during his last turn and activated it.

Otogi: "I activate my spell card: Limiter Removal. Until the end phase, it will double my Gradius' attack points (2400/800). Of course, it comes with a downside. My Gradius will be destroyed at the end of my turn. However, there will be no next turn, because I will equip my Gradius with Fairy Meteor Crush! Thanks to that equip spell card, my Gradius will be able to inflict piercing damage. You know what comes next, don't you, Jounouchi-kun?"

Jounouchi's eyes blinked worriedly at the realization.

Jounouchi: "W-Wait a minute! How's that possible?!"

Otogi: "You just underestimated me, Jounouchi-kun. I attack your monster with my Gradius!"

Gradius destroyed Jounouchi's Goblin Attack Force, bringing down his Life Points to 0. Defeated, Jounouchi's head hung low.

The platform went down and his friends looked worriedly at him.

Otogi: "Now then, I suppose you will be keeping your end of the bargain, correct?"

Jounouchi: "…Yeah."

Jounouchi's pride was hurt and everyone could see that. To crush it even more, however, Otogi told one of his fangirls to give Jounouchi a dog suit.

Jounouchi: "What…?"

Jounouchi was taken aback by this.

Otogi: "Obey your master like a good little dog and wear the suit."

Honda couldn't stand it anymore.

Honda: "Hey, don't you think that's going too far?"

Otogi looked at him with disinterested eyes.

Otogi: "He's the one who agreed to this."

The spirit of Yugi's millennium item then took over, prepared to fight for Jounouchi's sake.

Yugi: "Then let's make another deal. I will duel you to free Jounouchi."

Otogi snorted.

Otogi: "I have nothing to gain from that. However…"

His gaze slid to Akia.

Otogi: "I'll let him go if Akia wins against me."

"Me? What's in it for you?"

Otogi calmly walked towards her. Bakura tensed, not liking how he got closer.

Otogi: "If you win, then I will let Jounouchi go. But, if I win…"

His eyes grew cold as he glared at Akia.

Otogi: "If I win, you will give up your Duel Monsters Queen title, as well as completely stop playing the game."

Akia looked at him, puzzled at how these terms benefited him.

"Why?"

Otogi: "You're in no position to ask questions."

His voice was unfriendly. Otogi then turned around and headed for the elevator.

"We're not playing here?"

Otogi paused and turned his face to look at them.

Otogi: "Oh. Did I forget to mention that we will not be playing Duel Monsters?"

"What? Why not?"

Akia was taken aback by the sudden revelation.

Otogi: "You… I'm sure you cheated to get your win against Pegasus. Whatever tricks you used, you won't be able to use them when playing a game that you've never played before."

"I never cheated!"

Otogi furiously turned completely in her direction.

Otogi: "Spare me your lies! It's obvious you cheated! Pegasus was unbeatable, but you beat him!"

He then took a deep breath to calm himself down and proceeded in a controlled tone.

Otogi: "We will be playing a game of my creation. It is called Dungeon Dice Monsters. When I introduced it to Pegasus he beat me so easily, as if he had been playing it all his life. He didn't even want me to explain the rules for it to him first. He was going to market my game and make it a success that rivalled Duel Monsters in popularity. Since you beat Pegasus, I assume you won't have any problems playing this new game and defeating me. Unless, of course, you cheated playing against him, which is the only explanation!"

Akia clenched her fists. She looked at Jounouchi, who had just finished getting dressed in the dog outfit. She didn't like that. It was basically a form of bullying, and she hated bullying. Then she realized.

"So this whole show you put with Jounouchi is so that you can get revenge for Pegasus by playing against me?"

Otogi: "Revenge for Pegasus? No. It's revenge for me. Pegasus haven't been answering any of my calls since his defeat. The chance of my game's success just plummeted to the ground because of you defeating him. I'm going to defeat you and expose you as a cheat in front of everyone!"

Akia frowned. Otogi was clearly driven by his anger. He wanted to find someone to blame, and she was the obvious target. For Jounouchi's sake, she had to win. She was going to win and wake Otogi up from his delusions.

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**So what did you guys think? Sorry I took so long to update. I'll try to not take as much time for the next chapter. I know the next one will be a bit tougher to write... I'm not exactly an expert of DDM, but I'll try to make it interesting.**


	36. Dungeon Dice Monsters Part 1

**Sorry this took forever, but I had to literally study the game to be able to make something good enough... I even played the game on the gameboy advance to be able to get a feel for it. I hope it's interesting enough!**

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Chapter 36: Dungeon Dice Monsters Part 1

Otogi lead all of them to a different room where a field, similar to the one used to play Duel Monsters was laid out. The field had, however, a lot of lines separating it in a lot of equal sized squares.

Otogi: "Before we get to the platform, you should make your deck, don't you think?"

Akia didn't reply and just followed him to where laid a box full of different dice. She had a lot of thoughts running through her mind. She had never before played a game without at least knowing some of the rules. She was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with all that was happening and she knew that that's exactly what Otogi was aiming for. The more flustered she was, the easier she'd fail. Akia took a deep breath and looked at the box. Otogi was already stationed on his side of the field, waiting for her to do the same.

_'__These dice… There are a few different colours here. I have black, white, blue, red, green, and yellow. I'm sure they all give different results and add different elements to the deck. Alright, now I should look at what's on these dice faces. Considering they are dice, it means that I'll be rolling them and expecting a certain result. All of these dice seem to share one symbol in common: a star shape. The number inside the star differs from one dice to another. The higher the number, the less faces have the star shape. Man, I'm getting so confused right now! I should probably just make sure I have a bit of everything.'_

After taking quite some time contemplating and picking her dice, Akia finally made her way to the platform. When she did, the field lit up and she noticed three hearts that were in front of Otogi's platform lighting up.

Otogi: "Alright, let me give you the basics of the game at least. This game works on the system of heart points. The first to lose all of his three heart points loses the game. As to how to do that, when you roll your dice and obtain two summoning stars, you will be able to place one of the dice that rolled a star on the field where it will unravel and create a path for your monsters. How you place that path is up to you, but it has to connect to either your platform or one of your existing paths. As for the rest, I'm sure you can figure it out by yourself, if you really didn't cheat while dueling Pegasus."

He let out a short mocking laugh. Akia didn't notice it, because she was paying too much attention to the setup of the field in front of her. She also thought of the dice she chose.

_'__That's why some of them had less stars than others. Why is that? I only picked two dice with one star on them. I guess I'm lucky? Or am I not? If it has less stars, it means it's harder to summon. Wouldn't that mean that it's stronger?'_

Otogi: "I guess I'll start my turn. Maybe that'll give you some idea on how to play this, since you look pretty clueless."

Otogi smirked as he took his three first dice and rolled them.

Otogi: "For my first move, I'll summon Ryu-Kishin (ATK: 10 / DEF: 10 / HP: 10)."

As he said that, he pushed his dice on the board in front of him. Its hologram then materialized onto the field, The dice then unfolded, creating a path in front of Otogi's platform. Ryu-Kishin then appeared from within the open dice. The Monster's stats were displayed over its head. Akia was slowly starting to get it. She still had no idea what the symbols on the dice meant, but she understood the concept of summoning.

Otogi: "I'll end my turn there."

_'__He's ending his turn? Can't he move his monster? It probably doesn't work that way. Either he doesn't have whatever it is to move his monster, he doesn't want to move his monster, or we can't move a monster that was just summoned.'_

While she was thinking, Akia took her first three dice. One was green, one was blue, and the other was red. The two first ones had four faces that had stars on them, while the red one only had one. She rolled the dice. Both the green and the blue one landed with a star. The red one landed on one of the other symbols that looked like a circle with three small triangles at the top and bottom, all pointing towards the centre which was completely black. It also had a x2 on top of the symbol. Akia then noticed something next to the dice dispenser. There were a bunch of symbols there too, arranged in one vertical line, with a zero next to each of them. The digital display then changed. One of the symbols looked like the one she just rolled. Next to it, the number 0 changed into 2. Akia was at a loss at what that could mean. She knew one thing, however, and that it was that she could summon a monster this turn, thanks to the two stars she just rolled. She took her green dice and placed it on the smaller representation of the field in front of her.

"Alright, let's see if I'm getting how this whole thing works…"

She pushed the dice in. Then with her finger, she drew just how she wanted the dice to unfold. The dice opened up, revealing Akia's first monster: Bubonic Vermin (ATK: 20 / DEF: 10 / HP: 10).

"Can it move?"

When Akia put her finger on her monster's display and tried to move it, one of the symbols on the display flashed red alongside the 0 next to it. It was an arrow pointing up.

_'__So this must be the movement symbol. This means I need to roll it to be allowed to move my monsters. Let's see… So the other symbols probably mean something that basic too. The one that looks like two crossed swords probably means attack. The shield maybe means defence. The circle here looks like those cult circles to summon spirits or something like that. Maybe that means spell? I'm just basing this off of Duel Monsters at this point, since the monsters are the same. If I go by that logic, then that last symbol that I rolled earlier means trap. I wonder how I'll be able to use that."_

Otogi: "I didn't expect you to be this quiet. Are you trying to come up with another ingenious way to cheat?"

Akia sighed in exasperation. There was no use arguing with that guy. He was not going to change his mind without her proving to him that he was wrong about the whole thing.

"I'm done with my move."

Yugi and the others were watching the duel, concerned about how Akia was going to handle the situation.

Anzu: "Yugi, can Akia-chan really do this? She doesn't know anything about the rules…"

Yugi: "I… I believe in her."

Honda: "That's nice and all, but this is a really tough situation."

Yugi: "It is tough, but I know she can do it."

Jounouchi, even in his embarrassing situation, was also very worried about Akia. He was even starting to blame himself for how things turned out.

Akia naturally frowned, deeply analyzing the game in front of her. She couldn't help but feel a little excitement as well. This was fun. It was a challenge that was laid in front of her and she wasn't about to let it win over her. She was going to figure the game out and come out victorious.

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**Thank you for all those who are still reading this! Review and tell me what you think :D**


	37. Dungeon Dice Monsters Part 2

**I stayed up so late to write this! And I have work tomorrow... Let's hope I'm not too sleepy when that happens. I hope you guys enjoy!**

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Chapter 37: Dungeon Dice Monsters Part 2

Otogi: "Dice roll!"

Otogi rolled his dice. He smirked as he placed one of his rolled dice on the field.

Otogi: "I'll summon Yaranzo (ATK: 10 / DEF: 10 / HP: 10)."

The die unfolded, connecting to Otogi's previous one, getting closer to Akia. When Yaranzo materialized, Otogi used one of his movement crests to advance him one space.

Otogi: "That ends my turn. Let's see how long you can survive.

"Heh! I won't just survive; I'll win this!"

Akia then rolled her dice as well. The yellow and blue one landed on a star and a black one ended on the movement symbol. On her display screen, the number next to the symbol went up from 0 to 5. Akia then took her yellow die and pushed it into the field, connecting with her last one. There wasn't much space left until her dice collided with Otogi's.

"I summon Nuvia the Wicked (ATK: 10 / DEF: 10 / HP: 10)."

She then moved her Bubonic Vermin up until it was right behind Nuvia, using up 3 of her 5 movement crests. Otogi rolled again and summoned yet another monster, Gator Dragon (ATK: 10 / DEF: 10 / HP: 10). His die platform was now connected to Akia's. He then moved his monster up to Akia's Nuvia.

Otogi: "I'll show you just how serious I am to make you bit the dust! Gator Dragon, attack!"

_'__Wait! What is he doing? Don't they have the same attack points? Won't that destroy them both?'_

Against Akia's expectations, her monster was the only one destroyed. She didn't get it. She tried hard to think and find a reason why.

Otogi: "You must be surprised. After all, it didn't go like how Duel Monsters normally plays out. I just love that confused face you're making."

_'__That's it! It's not Duel Monsters. There are similarities, but it's still a different game. I can't apply the same rules to it. If anything, the battle is completely different. Monsters don't just have attack and defence: they have hit points or health points too. When my monster was attacked, the heart of its head blacked out. 10 attack… 10 hit points… It's like an RPG! Subtract the attack from the hit points! Then if I think of it as an RPG, then defending would negate attack to a certain extent, depending on how much the defence is. I think I've got it! This game isn't so complicated after all. All this time playing video games with Jounouchi finally paid off.'_

A smile appeared on Akia's face as she found herself figuring out more and more of the game's rules. Otogi frowned.

Otogi: "What are you smiling about? Do you understand the situation you're in right now?"

"I completely understand the situation I'm in, but I can't help it. It's just so much fun to figure out how a new game works."

Yugi smiled at his sister's passion for games. His heart was now at ease, since he was fully confident that she would win this. Her enthusiasm, however, caught Otogi off guard. He didn't expect her to be enjoying herself. He expected her to be panicking, to feel despair at how utterly powerless she was in this situation.

Otogi: "Fun… Fun?! You think this is fun?!"

Otogi was furious at how carefree she was. It was as if she had no conscience. Akia looked at him, knowing that he still thought she won against Pegasus by cheating. Needless to say, her duel against Pegasus was anything but normal, but she didn't cheat, and she knew that very well.

Otogi: "It's all your fault! You can't be having fun! Don't you have a conscience?!"

"Otogi… How many times…"

Otogi: "Shut it! I don't want to hear any more of your lies! Get on with your turn!"

Akia took her next dice and rolled them. She rolled no stars this time, but tallied one attack, one defence, and one movement, bringing the movement crests up to 3.

"Alright… Time to get things done. I'll move Bubonic Vermin up to your Gator Dragon. Using one of my Attack crests, I'll attack your monster!"

Doing so, Akia used one of her movement crests and her only attack crest. She was able to successfully destroy Otogi's monster.

"Just like I thought! I end my turn."

Otogi: "You might've gotten one of my monsters, but I'm not done with you yet! Dice roll!"

Otogi rolled his dice. He then placed one of them on the field. Akia was expecting a monster to pop out, but, instead, it was a chest. This was yet a new element that Akia still didn't make full sense of.

Otogi: "I'll end my turn here."

Akia deduced that either Otogi didn't have any movement crests or he didn't have any attack crests. either way, she was planning on ending this match quickly before he got out his big guns. She rolled her dice. Both a green and a yellow ended on a star crest. The other was a black one that landed on an attack crest, giving her a total of 1 attack crest. She took her green die and pushed down, right at the left edge of her farthest dice platform, extending next to Otogi's own platform. The monster that materialized in the middle was a higher level than all the other monsters on the field. It was Firewing Pegasus (ATK: 30 / DEF: 20 / HP: 20). To top it off, it was a flying monster. Akia read the description of her monster on her display board. Since it's a flying monster, she has to use 2 movement crests for one space. However, flying monsters were allowed to fly over other monsters and items. Also, only another flying monster can attack them.

"I guess I landed a pretty good one here."

Using up all of her movement crests, she moved Bubonic Vermin up to Yaranzo. Using up her attack crest, she destroyed Otogi's monster once more.

"I end my turn here."

Otogi: "I roll."

Otogi was starting to feel on edge. He didn't expect her to be this good right off the bat. It was like she had read into the rules of the game. He didn't understand why she was pulling it off this well. He summoned The 13th Grave (ATK: 10 / DEF: 0 / HP: 10). Which paled in front of Akia's other monsters.

"My turn? I roll!"

A black die ended on a 4 movement crest, and both a red and a yellow die ended on the summon crest. Being attracted to the red colour more, Akia decided to summon it, connecting it to her last dice platform. The monster that materialized filled her with so much excitement she almost screamed from it.

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon (ATK: 40 / DEF: 20 / HP: 30)!"

Otogi: "What?! That's not possible!"

Using her four movement crests, she moved the Red-Eyes two spaces, considering he was also a flying monster. She knew she needed another 6 movement crests to make it to Otogi's heart points. She also needed three attack crests. She knew that once she had all those, she would win.

"I'll end my turn for now."

Otogi: "No! I won't let an amateur and a cheater like you defeat me!"

"You keep saying that I'm a cheater. Would I really need to cheat when I'm so good at games?"

Otogi clenched his fists. He didn't want to answer, since he had no answer. He rolled his dice. He was able to summon a powerful monster of his own: Orgoth the Relentless (ATK: 20 / DEF: 20 / HP: 50). Using his movement crests, he moved it right in front of his heart points, protecting them from the eventual attack.

It was Akia's turn. She rolled 3 movement crests and two attack crests. Using up two of those movement crests, she moved her Red-Eyes closer to Orgoth.

"I end my turn."

Everyone was watching, feeling just how tense the game was. Otogi rolled. For this turn he didn't obtain any summons, but moved his Ryu-Kishin up to Akia's Bubonic Vermin. If he got past it, he can get to her heart points.

Otogi: "I'll attack your annoying Vermin!"

"As if I'd let you! I use one of my defence crests!"

Doing so, the attack had no effect on Akia's monster, since the defence and attack were the same value. Feeling powerless, Otogi ended his turn. During Akia's she rolled enough movement crests to get to Orgoth. She also rolled two attack crests.

"Things are finally looking up! I attack your Ryu-Kishin with my Bubonic Vermin!"

Akia's monster easily destroyed Otogi's who stood there, watching it all unfold.

"Next… I attack your Orgoth with my Red-Eyes!"

Red-Eyes' attack being 40 and Orgoth's heart points being 50, Otogi's monster was still standing, but barely. He didn't know what to do. Orgoth couldn't attack Akia's Red-Eyes since it was a flying monster.

Otogi: "…I roll."

Otogi skipped his turn, feeling already defeated. During Akia's turn she rolled yet another attack crest, giving her a total of two. She attacked Orgoth once more, destroying him this time. She then moved her Red-Eyes up to Otogi's heart points. Since she was not allowed to attack another time with the same monster, she moved her Bubonic Vermin up to The 13th Grave, using her attack crest to attack it.

Otogi rolled during his turn, obtaining a summon that he summoned close to Akia's heart points, that were completely unguarded. It was his chance. He had enough movement points to get to her heart points and attack. All wasn't lost for him.

Otogi: "I summon Battle Ox (ATK: 20 / DEF: 20 / HP: 20)! How foolish of you! Leaving your heart points wide open!"

Akia frowned at her miscalculation. Otogi was able to attack her and destroy one of her heart points. She had to do something, and fast.

"My turn!"

She rolled, and got a summon and an attack crest. She summoned Dark Ruler Ha Des (ATK: 20 / DEF: 30 / HP: 20) right next to her heart points. She just needed movement crests to get to Battle Ox. She also used one of her attack crests to attack Otogi's heart Points. Now both of them had two heart points left. Akia ended her turn, not having any other options.

During Otogi's turn, he obtained one attack crest that he used to attack Akia's heart points once more. Another attack and he would win. Akia was feeling the pressure.

"I roll!"

_'__Please give me movement crests, please give me movement crests!'_

And movement crests were what she got along one attack crest and two trap crests. She only needed one to reach Battle Ox. Doing so, she attacked it using one of her attack crests, destroying it in the process. Using another attack crest, she attacked Otogi's heart points with her Red-Eyes. One more attack and she would win. The same went for Otogi.

"I end my turn."

Otogi: "My turn!"

All he needed was one summon and an attack crest. If he rolled those, he would surely win. He rolled his dice. He then smirked victoriously.

Otogi: "It's over. You really almost had me there! But this match is mine! I summon Blast Lizard (ATK: 10 / DEF: 10 / HP: 20)!"

He then used up his movement crests to move his monster right in front of Akia's heart points. Right as he was about to attack, Akia acted.

"I won't let you! I use three trap crests to inflict 10 points of damage to all monsters within three squares of my monster!"

Otogi: "What?!"

As she said that, Otogi's monster got destroyed right as he was about to attack. Otogi now had no choice but to end his turn.

"This ends now! I roll! Finally… I use my attack crest to take your last heart point! Go my Red-Eyes!"

After Red-Eyes' attack, Akia heard her friends cheer.

Jounouchi: "Yeah! I can't believe it! You won!"

Yugi: "I knew you could do it!"

Bakura: "Piece of cake."

Anzu: "I barely understood what was going on, but I'm so happy you did it!"

Honda: "I knew we could count on you!"

Getting off the platform, Otogi looked utterly and completely defeated. Akia went up to him and extended her hand in a handshake gesture.

"It was a good game. Let's play again sometime, only without all the crazy claims."

Her comment made him snort. He took her hand and shook it firmly.

Otogi: "You got it. And since I'm a man of my word, Jounouchi's free."

After getting Jounouchi out of his suit, Otogi insisted on having all of them sit down together to have a little chat.

Otogi: "First, I'd like to apologize for all the things I did to you. You certainly have the skills to win against Pegasus. I just didn't want to believe it…"

Akia smiled at him.

"Don't worry. I'm sure once Pegasus gets all better, he'll contact you again."

Otogi's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope.

Otogi: "You think so?"

"Of course I do. Despite the circumstances, I actually really enjoyed the game."

Yugi: "I could see it all over your face, Akia. You were enjoying every bit of it."

Jounouchi: "Especially when you summoned that Red-Eyes."

"Yeah, that was the best part!"

Otogi: "In any case, I hope you guys forgive me…"

"Of course we forgive you. I'm sure you'd be a great friend to have too."

Otogi looked surprised.

Otogi: "Friend? Me?"

"Yeah you."

Otogi chuckled.

Otogi: "You really are an odd one. Friends it is then."

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**So SO SOOO excited for next chapter! Finally we're getting into Season 2!**

**Review and tell me what you think :DD**


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